UNILORIN Announces 38-Year-Old Scholar as University’s Youngest Professor, Makes History

• UNILORIN has recognised 38-year-old Lukman Abdulrauf as its youngest Professor after academic promotion
• The legal scholar gained attention for research covering technology, governance and digital rights
• The university pointed out Abdulrauf’s international research roles and contributions to global law discussions

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A 38-year-old Nigerian legal scholar, Lukman Abdulrauf, has been recognised as the University of Ilorin’s (UNILORIN) youngest Professor after reaching the academic rank in October 2025.

UNILORIN, which shared Abdulrauf’s profile on Tuesday, June 23, via its website, pointed out his rise in academia and his work in law, technology, and governance.

Abdulrauf, a Professor in the Department of Public Law at the university, specialises in areas including data privacy, artificial intelligence (AI) governance, digital constitutionalism, and comparative constitutional law, with a focus on African legal systems.

His research, according to the institution, examines how emerging technologies affect citizens’ rights and how governments can create rules to manage digital spaces.

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Young professor’s work gains worldwide attention

The university described his academic journey as one marked by international recognition, with Abdulrauf holding research fellowships at institutions including the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa at the University of Pretoria, both in South Africa.

He has also carried out research at global institutions such as Stanford University’s Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences and the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study.

One of his notable research roles involved working as a Co-Investigator on a United States National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded project that examined the ethical, legal, and social issues around the use of genomic data in health research in Africa.

"His research has attracted competitive external funding, including his role as Co-Investigator on a United States National Institutes of Health (NIH)–funded project examining the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) of the use of genomic data in health research in African contexts.

"This work reflects his broader scholarly interest in data governance, public interest regulation, and the constitutional implications of digital technologies in the Global South," the institution disclosed.

Young scholar joins global technology law conversations

The university also noted that Abdulrauf serves on the editorial board of International Data Privacy Law, an Oxford University Press journal focused on "data protection and information law."

His work has explored major questions around AI regulation, digital rights, platform accountability, and the impact of technology on constitutional systems.

"His academic work has been presented in international fora and contributes to ongoing debates on data privacy, AI governance, digital constitutionalism, platform accountability, and rights-based approaches to technology regulation in Africa and beyond," the school said.

Born on February 23, 1987, Abdulrauf was appointed Professor on October 1, 2025, at the age of 38.

The achievement places him among the youngest scholars to attain the professorial rank at UNILORIN and adds to the growing recognition of young Nigerian academics contributing to global conversations on technology and law.

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