UNIJOS ALUMNI Attracts One of Nigeria’s Best Hands in Geology to Lokoja for a Conversation Today
Who is Professor Nuhu George OBAJE
Nuhu George Obaje is a Professor of Geology and currently the Chair Professor for Basinal Studies and Coordinating Director of Research and Development at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State, Nigeria. He was formerly Head of the Department of Geology & Mining and Dean of the Faculty of Natural & Applied Sciences (February 2004 – April 2008) at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, where he was also a member of the Governing Council of that institution representing Senate (January 2005 – November 2008). Prof. Obaje is married to Mrs Aisha Mary Obaje (from Zaria and a Lecturer at IBB University Lapai). The family is blessed with children.
Born 15th December 1961 at Ajaka in Igalamela Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nuhu Obaje attended Barewa College Zaria (1974-1979); graduated B.Sc. and M.Sc. Geology from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1984 and 1987 respectively; and the Ph.D. Geology from the University of Tuebingen in Germany in 1994.
Has held the Royal Society of London postdoctoral fellowship in petroleum geochemistry at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland in 1997; the German Academic Exchange Service (re-invitation) postdoctoral fellowship in biostratigraphy at the University of Tuebingen in 1998; and the Alexander von Humboldt research fellowship in organic geochemistry/organic petrology at the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources in Hannover/Germany in 2002-2003 (for one year) and 2005 – 2006 (for 3 months). He was a Senior Research Fellow of the Alfried Krupp Foundation; being one of five Senior Research Scientists selected on a world-wide competition to spend one year (October 2007 – September 2008) at the Alfried Krupp Institute for Advanced Studies in Greifswald, Germany. He was the only African in that selection.
Also held research tenures with Chevron Nigeria Limited, Lagos, where he worked on the company’s project on the frontier inland basins and later with the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited in Portharcourt where he worked on the company’s project on the shallow offshore Niger Delta.
Was a member of the Nigerian Government Presidential Committee on Oil and Gas Sector Reform and Implementation Committee (OGIC) for the National Council on Privatization (2000 – 2006). The report of the OGIC culminated in the compilation of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
Has been an Assessor of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Annual Research Grants Competition programme and Resource Person in the Peer Review of the PTDF Professorial Chair Endowment programme.
Served as a member of the Nigerian Government Vision 20-2020 Committee on the Minerals and Metals Working Group (2009-2010).
Has graduated several Masters and Doctoral candidates. The 1st Ph.D. graduate at the Nasarawa State University Keffi (Ali Moumouni) graduated under his supervision and mentorship. Ali Moumouni is currently Professor and Dean of Sciences at the University of Maradi in Niger Republic.
Prof Nuhu Obaje is Team Leader of many nationally and internationally funded research projects including those funded by the TETFund National Research Grant (2015-2018); Raw Materials Research and Development Council (2017-2018); the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (2017-Date); Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (2018); Hydropolis Investments Limited (2021); and the International Development Research Centre of Canada (2020-2023).
On 20th March 2014, Prof. Obaje received the NMGS/NAPIMS/Prof. R.A. Reyment Award at the 50th International Conference of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) held in Benin City, for consistent excellent research outputs on the sedimentary geology of Nigeria. The Award, sponsored by NNPC/NAPIMS, is in honour of Prof. R.A. Reyment, the first Head of Department of Geology at the University of Ibadan;
Prof Nuhu George Obaje is a beaded Chief Oma-Oja Etemahi of Igalamela (2019) (Edeeh) and Recognition Award Winner of Who is Who in Igalaland (2020).
Prof. Obaje has travelled widely and visited: Algeria, Belgium, Benin Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Niger Republic, Qatar, South Africa, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirate, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
Nuhu George Obaje is strongly involved in several grass-root and community development projects and has been honored severally with community and professional awards.