By Abubakar, Rabilu Gombe
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of North-Eastern University (NEU), Gombe, Dr Mohammad Sani Isyaka, has emerged as the youngest professor in Gombe State at the age of 40.
Isyaka was promoted to the rank of Professor of Organic and Natural Products Chemistry by the university’s Governing Council, effective October 1, 2026, following the successful completion of the institution’s external assessment process.
According to a statement by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Mukhtar Sani Saulawa, the promotion was subsequently ratified by the Governing Council.
Born on August 30, 1986, in Gombe Local Government Area, Isyaka had earlier made history as the youngest Deputy Vice-Chancellor from the state when he assumed the position at the age of 37.
The university also announced his admission as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (FICCON), citing his contributions to the advancement of chemical sciences.
Isyaka obtained his B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Abuja in 2008 and an M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry from the same institution in 2012. He later earned a Ph.D. in Organic and Natural Products Chemistry from the University of Surrey, United Kingdom, in 2020.
He began his academic career as an Assistant Lecturer at the Federal University of Kashere in 2012 before joining NEU. He rose to the rank of Associate Professor in 2023 and attained professorial status in 2026.
The university said Isyaka has published more than 100 research papers in Scopus-indexed international journals and supervised postgraduate students at both M.Sc. and Ph.D. levels.
His research has largely focused on natural products chemistry, particularly the isolation and identification of bioactive compounds from African medicinal plants.
Among his research achievements was the isolation and identification of 47 novel chemical compounds from three African Croton species. One of the compounds, Saniolide, was named in his honour and has demonstrated activity against melanoma, renal and colon cancer cell lines in laboratory studies.
At NEU, Isyaka has served as Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance, Chairman of the Senate Business Committee and pioneer Director of the Centre for African Medicinal Plants Research.
He also played a role in the integration of 30 per cent local content into the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards covering more than 30 academic programmes.
Isyaka is a member of several professional bodies, including the American Chemical Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, Science Association of Nigeria and Chemical Society of Nigeria, where he is also a fellow.
The Governing Council, management, Senate, staff and students of NEU congratulated him on his promotion and admission as a FICCON fellow, describing the achievements as recognition of his academic and scientific contributions.
