Professor Sulyman Age Abdulkareem is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, where he has taught, researched and mentored young scholars and students for over two decades since 1996.
Professor Abdulkareem had his Secondary and Higher School Education at the Government Secondary School, Ilorin between 1968 and 1974, after which he obtained Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Detroit, Michigan, USA in 1980. He completed his Ph.D in Chemical Engineering at the University of Louisville as the Best Graduate Student in 1988. At Louisville, Kentucky, USA he specialized in Heterogeneous Catalysis/Reaction Engineering.
Professor Abdulkareem started his professional career as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Detroit in 1979. He thereafter worked as Advanced Process Engineer with Union Carbide Corporation in West Virginia for two years after which he returned to Nigeria in 1983 for NYSC to serve as an Industrial Engineer with the Nigerian Steel Development Company, Ajaokuta, Nigeria. Professor Abdulkareem was also a Senior Development Engineer at the 3M Company, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA between 1988 and 1992 after which he worked for two years as an Expatriate Research Engineer/Assistant Professor at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Since his return to Nigeria in 1994, his research activities have been inspired, driven and guided by his philosophy of creating technology that would engender sustainable development in Africa. To this end, his research focus has largely revolved around Polymer Engineering and Industrial Chemical Process and Technology. Ingeniously he designed and introduced the sacheting of potable water business to fellow Nigerians in 1995, a multi-billion Naira contribution to Nigeria economy today. When the disposed packaging sachets became a public nuisance all over the nation, he ingeniously again invented processes that converted these polymer wastes to several useful products. He has ten patents to his credit through his innovative creation of wealth in form of different types of fuel and other products, from the discarded polymer wastes which litter the streets and drains of Nigeria.
Professor Abdulkareem’s penchant for distinction and excellence manifested early in his life as evident in the many Scholarships and prizes which he won between 1975 – 1988 during his Secondary and University Education.
It is therefore unsurprising that, today, this erudite intellectual and frontline innovator, is a member of several Learned/Professional Societies locally and around the globe. He has presented and published his over 100 Research and Development papers as well as his technical papers in reputable journals, conferences, seminars and workshops all over the world.
In addition to his research/academic activities over the decades, he also rendered administrative services at the University of Ilorin such as serving as Director, Student Industrial Working Experience Scheme (SIWES) Unit; Chairman of the University’s Admissions Committee while serving as the Dean of Student Affairs Unit. He was appointed as a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria in 2005.
On account of his technical know-how, experiences garnered in the University system and services rendered in the cause of humanity, Professor Abdulkareem was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria, in 2010 which he completed in June 2015. He returned to Unilorin where he served as the Director of Laboratory to Product Centre for two years before serving as the Vice Chancellor of this great university between October 2017 – 2022.
Professor Sulyman Age Abdulkareem is an African who cherishes traditional family values. He is married and blessed with six children. He enjoys reading, travelling and volunteering his services.
This researcher, teacher, inventor and administrator was born on Thursday, the 21st day of January, 1954, in a super town called Oro, in Kwara State of Nigeria.
When the subject combines the themes of technology, environmental preservation in Africa, innovation, recycling and sustainability studies, entrepreneurship, community service and traditional ethics and values, you would be talking of Professor Sulyman Age Abdulkareem.
