Curriculum Vitae

DR. ABUBAKAR USMAN ABUBAKAR

Senior Lecturer
  • Department of International and Strategic Studies
    Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
  • abubakar.usman
  • +603-79675656

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Abubakar Abubakar Usman is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of International and Strategic Studies at Universiti Malaya (UM), Malaysia, where he specializes in globalization, development, and the politics of Africa and the Middle East. With a multidisciplinary academic background spanning International Relations, Diplomacy, and Islamic Finance, Dr. Usman is a prolific scholar whose work bridges theory and policy.

Academic Leadership
Dr. Usman currently serves as a Guest Lecturer at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, teaching Politics and International Relations of the Middle East. He has also been invited as a Guest Speaker at institutions such as Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Nile University Nigeria, where he shared expertise on diplomacy, conflict resolution, and strategic studies. His teaching philosophy emphasizes critical thinking and real-world applicability, honed through roles as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and as an English instructor for Saudi Schools Kuala Lumpur.

Research Contributions
A dedicated researcher, Dr. Usman has held prestigious fellowships, including as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at IIUM’s Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance (IIiBF), where he explored the intersection of Islamic finance and global development. As a Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the Africa Studies Circle at the Asia Middle East Centre for Research and Dialogue (AMEC), he fosters cross-civilizational dialogue and evidence-based policy recommendations. His research has been published in high-impact journals such as South African Journal of International Affairs, Global Society, and Contemporary Islam, and he has contributed chapters to Routledge and Palgrave Macmillan volumes on Islamic finance, African diplomacy, and human rights.

Dr. Usman actively engages in peer review for Web of Science-indexed journals, including Security Journal and SN Social Sciences, and is currently developing two book projects: The Political Economy of Africa-Asia Relations (Routledge) and Coups in 21st Century Africa (Palgrave Macmillan). His doctoral thesis on Boko Haram’s media strategies and master’s research on Islamic finance as a development tool reflect his commitment to addressing pressing global challenges.

Policy and Public Engagement
Beyond academia, Dr. Usman is a sought-after commentator on African geopolitics, contributing to platforms like Africa@LSE, Daily Trust, and The Conversation. His analyses on ECOWAS, military coups, and Nigeria’s foreign policy have shaped public discourse. He has also served as an interpreter and translator for Malaysian government agencies, leveraging fluency in English, Arabic, and Hausa.

Education and Honors

  • PhD in International Relations (Globalization & Development), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)

  • Master of Diplomacy and Strategic Studies (CGPA: 4.00), UKM

  • Master of Political Science (CGPA: 3.83), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)

  • BA in Arabic/Mass Communication, Bayero University Kano, Nigeria

Professional Affiliations

  • Member, International Studies Association (ISA)

  • Associate Member, International Society for Development and Sustainability (ISDS)

For a full list of publications and research projects, visit his Google Scholar or ORCID profiles.

Contact:
Email: abubakar.usman@um.edu.my | Phone: +60 162417993
Address: Department of International and Strategic Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

  • MSSc.D.SS, (Kajian Strategik)
    Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
  • PhD.GD
    Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
  • M.P.S, (Political Science)
    International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)
  • B.A.MassCom, (Mass Communication)
    Bayero University, Kano

PUBLICATIONS

Article in Journal
  1. Muhammad, U. M., & Usman, A. A. (2024). Brethren in Terror: Mapping ISIS and Boko Haram Digital Campaigns. Journal of Politics and Administrative Studies, 17 (1).
  2. Sa'ad, A. A., Usman, A., & Rehan, R. (2024). Islamic Sustainable Finance: Gulf Experiences. In Islamic Finance and Sustainable Development (pp. 5-14). Routledge.
  3. Usman, A. A., & Umar Muhammad, M. (2024). ASEAN versus ECOWAS: Sovereignty construction and its impact on governance and institutional structures. Global Society, 38(4), 520-542.
  4. Saad, A. A., Rehan, R., Usman, A. A., & Salaudeen, A. O. (2023). The metaverse and Islamic financial contracts: the case of Ijarah. F1000Research, 12(837), 837.
  5. Usman, A. A. (2024). Explaining Boko Haram’s anti-Muslim violence. Contemporary Islam, 18(2), 257-278.
  6. Usman, A. A., & Onapajo, H. (2023). Why West African states do not go to war with each other:‘Pan-West Africanism’and constructivist international relations. African Security Review, 32(3), 258-274.
  7. Usman, A.A., Sa’ad, A.A. (2023). Sukuk’s Role in Financing Infrastructural Development During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Nigeria. In: Mansour, N., Bujosa Vadell, L.M. (eds) Islamic Sustainable Finance, Law and Innovation. Contributions to Management Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27860-0_21
  8. : Usman, A. A., Huda, M. I. M., & Sa’ad, A. A. (2022). Diplomacy and The Birth of Islamic Finance As An Alternative Financing Source for The Global South. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(8), 1181 – 1197.
  9. Usman, A. A. (2022). In search of the origin of Boko Haram’s denunciation of western education. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 11(3), 753-766.
  10. Onapajo, H., & Usman, A. A. (2015). Fuelling the flames: Boko Haram and deteriorating Christian–Muslim relations in Nigeria. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 35(1), 106-122.
Scopus
  1. Usman A.A. (2024). Sovereignty construction in ECOWAS and SADC: Implications for governance and institutional structures, South African Journal of International Affairs. 31(3), 293-314. doi:10.1080/10220461.2024.2409383
Chapter in Books
  1. Usman, A. A., Abdelsalam, E. A., & Onapajo, H. Islam and Nigerian Foreign Policy: Processes, Procedures and Personalities, in O. Ogunnubi and S. Folarin (eds.), Soft Power in Nigeria and Beyond: Religion and Global Politics, Lexington, Lanham (pp. 185-202).
Other Publications
  1. Usman, A. A. (2025, February 19). There are challenges and opportunities for Africa in the AI revolution. London School of Economics. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2025/02/19/there-are-challenges-and-opportunities-for-africa-in-the-ai-revolution/ - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)
  2. Usman, A. A. (2025, January 17). What Niger’s rhetoric means for regional stability. London Schools of Economics. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2025/01/17/what-nigers-rhetoric-means-for-regional-stability/ - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)

PAPER PRESENTED

INVITED SPEAKER
  1. Sudan Sovereignty Paradox: Rethinking Intervention for Peace in Sudan, Sudan the Forgotten War, International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia, Embassy of the Republic of Sudan, Bait Al Amanah (National) (05 Aug 2024 - 05 Aug 2024)
  2. BRICS: The New World Order the Race to the Scrabble of Africa, AMEC Montly Webinar, Asia Middle East Centre for Research and Dialogue (International) (19 May 2023 - 19 May 2023)
  3. Nigeria 2023 Presidential Elections: Key Issues & Lessons., AMEC Webinar Series, Asia Middle East Centre for Research and Dialogue (International) (10 Mar 2023 - 10 Mar 2023)
ORAL PRESENTER
  1. Examining the Sustainability Aspect of Islamic Real Estate Investment Trust (IREIT) on Metaverse Technology: Shari ah and Regulatory Perspectives, The European Journal of Islamic Finance Conference 10th Anniversary, European Journal of Islamic Finance (International) (02 Oct 2024 - 03 Oct 2024)
  2. Navigating the Metaverse: Enhancing Financial Sustainability with Ijarah Smart Contracts in the Post-Pandemic Digital Economy., 2nd International Conference on Islamic Financial Literacy., IIUM Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance (IIiBF) (National) (02 Oct 2024 - 03 Oct 2024)
  3. Contemporary Military Coups in Africa: A Focus on Francophone Countries in the 21st Century, International Virtual Conference Programme: State Transformation and Development in a Changing World, Department of Political Science, International Islamic University Malaysia (National) (27 Nov 2023 - 28 Nov 2023)

ACADEMIC/ PROF. SERVICES

Evaluation
  1. (2025) "Shifting Geopolitics: The Gaza War Within The Middle East Security Community ", National, (Reviewer)
  2. (2025) I Am Officially One of The Reviewers of This Journal and Thus Far I Have Reviewed An Article Titled "The Threat of Border Porosity and Human Security in Emerging Economy: The Case of Ibarapa Community of Oyo State Nigeria", National, (Reviewer)
  3. (2025) Appointed as a Reviewer. Thus Far, I Have Reviewed "The Threat of Border Porosity and Human Security in Emerging Economy: The Case of Ibarapa Community of Oyo State Nigeria", University, (Reviewer)
  4. (2024) The Politics of Visibility in The Public Sphere: The Case of Nigerian Muslims and Christian-Muslim Relations., International, (Reviewer)
  5. (2024) Impact of Chemical Security Measures On Domestic Terrorism: a Study of Boko Haram Use of Precursor Chemicals in Nigeria, International, (Reviewer)