FUTD VC Katsayal Launches Landmark Trans-Saharan Trade Research Initiative

OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos

The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Transportation Daura, Prof. Umar Adam Katsayal, has inaugurated a high-level research team to examine the historical dynamics of Trans-Saharan trade and its relevance to modern African development.

The initiative, unveiled on March 31, 2026, brings together scholars from Nigeria, across West Africa, and other Pan-African institutions. The team is tasked with developing a comprehensive framework for the execution of the research project.

Speaking during the inauguration, Katsayal welcomed the Principal Investigator, Prof. Yakubu Ocheifu Aboki, alongside other members of the team.

He emphasized the importance of the project in shaping the research direction of the university, widely regarded as Africa’s first institution dedicated to transportation studies.

The Vice-Chancellor urged the researchers to apply their expertise and experience to ensure timely delivery of the project, noting that the outcome would significantly contribute to the university’s academic and research objectives.

According to him, the study will address four key research questions through fieldwork, panel discussions,
collaborative presentations, and working group engagements.

He added that the findings would also serve as a foundation for future research by staff of the institution, particularly in areas aligned with its transportation mandate.

In his remarks, Aboki expressed appreciation to the university’s management for the opportunity to lead the research effort. He assured that the team remains committed to delivering high-quality and impactful research that will contribute to Africa’s development discourse.

He further noted that the project holds significant academic and developmental value, while also describing his visit to Daura as a memorable one, despite the town’s long-standing historical relevance in Katsina State.

The inauguration marks the second research team constituted under Katsayal’s leadership, reflecting ongoing efforts to position the university as a centre for innovative research, particularly in areas with limited prior scholarly exploratio