As Nigerian Government approves Tazkiyah University
A reflection of Islam’s strong attachment to women education – Founder
The Federal Government has approved the establishment of Tazkiyah University, the first female-only university in Nigeria, founded by Professor Ibrahim Ahmad Maqari, one of the Imams of the National Mosque, Abuja.
Situated in Zaria, Kaduna State, the university is designed exclusively for women and may also operate with an all-female academic staff, making it the first of its kind in the country and the wider Sub-Saharan Africa.
Professor Maqari disclosed that all profits generated from the institution will be channelled into a special fund dedicated to supporting orphans.
Tazkiyah is one of nine newly accredited private universities licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC), with plans to relocate its permanent campus to Kaduna city in the future.
The institution, which is expected to commence its first academic session in September with an approved intake of 500 students, will take off at its temporary site on Chikaji Road, Zaria.
According to the school’s official profile, Tazkiyah University will begin with three faculties: Allied Health Sciences, Science and Computing, and Management and Social Sciences.
Programmes on offer include Nursing Science, Medical Laboratory Science, Public Health, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Computer Science, Cyber Security, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Petroleum Chemistry, Accounting, Economics, and Business Administration.
In an exclusive interview with Muslim News on Sunday, August 24, Professor Maqari explained the motivation behind establishing the female-only university.
He said many parents in Nigeria hesitate to send their daughters to tertiary institutions because of safety concerns and the nature of existing universities.
Tazkiyah University, he noted, is designed to provide a safe, disciplined, and value-driven environment for female students, eliminating excuses for denying girls higher education.
On staffing, he stressed that the preference will be for female lecturers. “Once we get competent female lecturers, we are not going to employ male lecturers. We will only resort to males when we can’t get what we need in the females,” he said.
Clarifying misconceptions, Prof Maqari stated that the university is not restricted to Muslims. “Every religion, even atheists, is welcome once they abide by the rules and regulations,” he explained. The institution’s motto, “Blending Knowledge with Noble Character,” reflects its commitment to academic excellence rooted in moral values.
When asked about affordability, he assured the public that tuition would be subsidised to remain within reach of the average Nigerian family, while maintaining high academic standards.
“We are definitely going to charge because we cannot run a university without charging, but it will be affordable,” he said, adding that scholarships will also be provided for competent but less privileged students.
The respected scholar said the establishment of Tazkiyah University is a rejection of the wrong notion on Islam’s restriction of women’s education. “This kind of institution, the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa, shows our commitment to empowering women with knowledge and character,” he affirmed.
Beyond education, Maqari expressed hope that Nigerians would contribute to building a better society by choosing the right path. “I hope Nigeria will become better by the commitment of its own people. I hope everyone will try to do the right thing and deviate from the established path,” he urged.
Born on September 15, 1976, in Katsina State, Professor Ibrahim Ahmad Maqari has built a distinguished academic and religious career.
He studied at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, earning his degree in 1999 before returning to Nigeria for his Master’s at Ahmadu Bello University in 2005 and completing a PhD at Bayero University, Kano, in record time between 2007 and 2009.
His teaching career has spanned ABU Zaria, Jama’atu Institute for Advanced Studies, the Federal College of Education Zaria, and the Nigeria Arabic Language Village in Borno State.
A prolific scholar with over 20 journal papers and several books to his credit, he is respected globally for his insights on faith, unity, and education. Colleagues and students describe him as humble, disciplined, and passionate about supporting the less privileged.
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