29/05/2025
Deborah Enilo Ajakaiye became the first female Black Professor of Physics in Africa in 1980 at the age of 40. She retired from academics 11 years later, at 51.
Born in 1940 in Jos, Nigeria, she grew up in a home that promoted equal education and responsibilities for boys and girls. As the fifth of six children, this early foundation shaped her path.
She earned a Physics degree from the University of Ibadan in 1962. Later, her interest in mathematics shifted to geophysics, which she felt had practical benefits for Nigeria.
She obtained a master's from the University of Birmingham and then returned to Nigeria for a PhD in Geophysics at Ahmadu Bello University in 1970, at age 30.
In 1980, she became a professor, teaching at ABU and later at the University of Jos, where she served as Dean of Natural Sciences. She mentored many, especially women, to pursue careers in science.
Her work in geophysics advanced Nigeria's development, especially in the extractive industries.
Key contributions:
Introduced geovisualisation to locate water and minerals critical to infrastructure and planning.
Created Nigeria’s first Bouguer gravity map, covering 40% of the country.
Built geodynamic models for the Chad Basin and Benue Trough to support exploration.
Her work supported major oil and gas discoveries and shaped the field of seismic interpretation. She co-authored a global textbook on structural styles in the Niger Delta.
She was the first Black African Fellow of the Geological Society of London and the first woman honoured by the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society.
From 2001 to 2004, she served on the Advisory Council of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and led its Africa Region from 2005 to 2007.
Professor Ajakaiye’s legacy is clear—she opened doors in science for African women and contributed directly to Nigeria’s natural resource growth.
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