Professor Sadiq Zubair Abubakar born 61 years ago is a graduate Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria where he obtained his B. of Engn.; MSc.; and PhD all in Agric. & Bio-Resources Engineering. He attended several academic and professional courses in several countries to enhance his erudition, competence, and capabilities in teaching, research, and professional services. He is a registered member of many professional bodies including NIAE, NSE, AESON, NINCID, ICID, ISTRO, ASABE. He is a fellow of NIAE and NSE. He is a Director, Board of Trustee for NINCID.

He is the current COREN President.   Professor Abubakar joined the service of ABU, Zaria in 1988 as assistant lecturer and rose to the rank of Professor in 2005 through diligence, hard work and rich outputs in his area of competence establishing a niche for himself in and outside Nigeria.

He supervised and mentored several postgraduate and undergraduate students and assessed candidates for professorial positions in Agric and Bio-Resource Engineering across many universities.   Professor Abubakar held leadership positions in ABU Zaria during his 34 years academic career including HOD, Director, Dean of Faculty, Dean Sch of Postgraduate Studies, Provost Agric & Vet Complex, and DVC (Admin).

He served as member of ABU Governing Council for 5 years. He was the pioneer VC of Alvan Ikoku University of Education Owerri. He is currently serving as the pioneer VC of Capital City University, Kano.  He has to his credit over 199 publications including journals, edited books, book chapters, edited proceedings, conference papers, extension bulletins, extension guides, training workshop papers, research/technical reports, edited training manuals on various aspects of engineering related to agriculture. 

Professor Abubakar led the development of several research/development projects grants proposals which were won and successfully implemented. He was involved in several missions that developed policy and strategic documents on Irrigation and Drainage for Nigeria and several other countries in West African Sub region.

The promotion and adoption of Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) in the public Irrigation Schemes under the 11 RBDAs is one visible achievement of Abubakar. He is a recipient of several awards at NIAE, NSE, AESON, ABU, NINCID, RBDAs, MAN, etc.    

Professor Abubakar was the Editor-in-Chief of NSE Technical Transaction journal as well as the Chairman Technical Committee for NSE Conferences for 11 years, respectively. He served as a member of COREN Council as well as the Chairman of Education & Training Council Committee of COREN. He was National Chairman NIAE; Member National EXCO of NIAE and NSE and member of several Boards and Committees at national and state levels.  

Professor Abubakar led the packaging and publishing of OBE Implementors Manual and Evaluators Guidelines used and conducted 6 regional and 2 national training workshops to create awareness on and campaign for change in the accreditation process of Engineering Programmes in Nigerian University system from input to Outcome Based Engineering Education (OBEE).