By: Dr. A.H. Abulfikr
Dr. Salihu Lukman was born in Zaria City, Nigeria. He is a distinguished academic, researcher, civil engineer, and mentor who has built a career both within Nigeria and abroad. He began his early academic journey at L.E.A. Primary School, Rimin Tsiwa, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1991. He continued at Government Secondary School (GSS) Tukur-Tukur Zaria, and graduated in 1997. Throughout his student career, he was one of the most brilliant students. He later gained admission at the famous Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where he earned both his B.Eng. and MSc. degrees in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering in 2004 and 2009, respectively. His pursuit of excellence led him to earn his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Environmental Engineering) from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia in 2013, one of the world’s top-ranked universities.
Immediately after completing his mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Dr. Lukman was retained as an Assistant Lecturer at the Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, ABU Zaria in 2006. Following the successful completion of his Ph.D. with first-class distinction in just three years, he was again immediately appointed as the pioneer Assistant Professor and later Head of the Civil Engineering Department at the newly established University of Hafr Al-Batin (UHB) in Saudi Arabia. Remarkably, Dr. Lukman became the first African to head the Departments of Mechanical, Civil, and Chemical Engineering at UHB. Under his leadership, these departments achieved notable milestones.
Dr. Lukman has conducted groundbreaking research that has significantly advanced understanding in the fields of soil remediation, water quality, and environmental pollution control. He is a prolific researcher with over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles, edited book chapters, and numerous contributions to local and international conferences. He has successfully supervised numerous undergraduate and postgraduate students both in Nigeria and abroad. As an inventor, he has discovered saline-sodic soil and pioneered its characterization and subsequent remediation using the Lasagna Process.
He secured a fully funded, competitive Ph.D. scholarship at KFUPM and has led numerous projects both in Nigeria and internationally. At UHB, he played a key role in establishing several academic programs, recruiting international faculty, aligning curricula with global accreditation standards, and overseeing both diploma and undergraduate engineering programs. His leadership has been felt across numerous committees related to curriculum development, faculty promotion, and academic accreditation.
Beyond the academic world, Dr. Lukman is deeply committed to social and humanitarian efforts. He is the founder of the Diabetic Monitoring Forum (DMF), through which he shares his personal journey of reversing Type 2 diabetes via diet and lifestyle changes. His work through DMF has helped many regain their health. He is also the sole custodian of the late Sheikh Albani Zaria’s lessons on YouTube, hosting over 100,000 subscribers. Additionally, he created the Dr. Lukman’s Perspective (DLP) Show, a YouTube series that explores topics related to health, psychology, and social development.
Dr. Lukman has built several electronic libraries on platforms such as Telegram, freely sharing more than 50,000 academic and Islamic resources. He attended the famous Muslim Refresher Course Program (MRCP) in Zaria from 1995 - 1997 and is a co-founder of the well-known Muslim Special Training Centre (MSTC). He has taught in both MRCP and MSTC programs for several years. These charity organizations have trained individuals who now excel in science, the arts, and humanities, many of whom now serve across Nigeria and the globe.
His professional affiliations include corporate member, Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, and member of the Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers, member of the Nigerian Institution of Water Engineers, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, fellow of the Strategic Institute for Natural Resources & Human Development, and corporate member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
Dr. Lukman has also contributed articles to newspapers and participated in radio interviews. His remarkable journey from classrooms and laboratories to digital platforms and community forums exemplifies a life of impact. Today, we celebrate Dr. Salihu Lukman who is a shining star and a rare blend of scholarly excellence, innovative leadership, and service to humanity. His legacy continues to inspire students, engineers, scientists, academics, and the wider public in Nigeria and abroad. He is happily married and blessed with children.
