The Department of Geography at Bayero University was first established under the Abdullahi Bayero College (ABC) of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) fondly referred to as ABC/ABU in the early 1970s. It was initially a Department in the Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies, teaching A-Level Geography to students requiring A-Level qualification for degree courses at both ABC/ABU at Kano and ABU at Zaria. In the 1973/74 session, under the headship of the first Head of Department, Mr. Hamza Nganjiwa, the Department began teaching degree programmes for combined Honours and Education students. At the beginning of the 1974/75 session, the Department persuaded two of its B.A. (ED) students to offer B.A. Geography (Single Honours). The Department remained in the Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies until the 1976/77 session when the ABC/ABU became a University College of Ahmad Bello University, Zaria and a new Faculty (Social and Management Sciences) was established. The Department was then transferred to that Faculty. Meanwhile, the second Head of Department Professor F. Beavington, a Briton, assumed duties in the 1975/76 session. The Department grew in number (of staff and students) with the growth of the University and the establishment of the Faculty of Science where geography was also offered as a degree programme. The College became a full-fledged University in the 1977/78 Session. From the end of Professor Beavington's tenure in 1980 until 1986 when he left Nigeria, Professor Michael J. Mortimorealso a Briton, became the third Head of Department. Dr. E.A. Olofin (now Emeritus Professor) became the fourth Head of Department from 1986 to 1993 (except in the 1987/88 session) when Dr. (now Professor of Soil Science in the Faculty of Agriculture) E.U.Essiet acted as Head of Department. Professor Kabiru Ahmed (who completed two terms as the Deputy Vice-chancellor, Academics 2007 - 2010) assumed office as Head of Department in February 1993 and remained so until 31st January 1998. A.D. Maiwada took over from him as head from 1998 to 2002. He was followed by Professor J. Afolabi Falola who assumed headship in August 2002 and remained in office until August 23rd 2005 when M.A. Liman(later pioneer HOD Urban and Regional Planning) took over (2005 to 2009). Then Dr. A.I.Tanko (now Professor, former Dean SMS, pioneer Dean FEES and until recently the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics) assumed office from November 2009 to June 2012 who relinquished his position as head to take up the deanship of Faculty of Social and Management Sciences. Dr. Maharazu A. Yusuf (now a professor and immediate past Dean of FEES) took over from 25th June 2016. Prof Yusuf M. Adamu was the Head from 2016-2018 and doubled as the Director University Press. Dr. Salisu Mohammed (now a Professor) took over in 2018 and completed his tenure in February, 2021. The current head of the department Dr. Bello Gambo assumed office in February this year. The Geography Department was based in the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences (FSMS),it was a core Department in the Faculty of Science until the 2011/12 session. It taught more undergraduate Science students than those in the Social Sciences. Moreover, students in the Faculty of Education offer Geography as teaching subject (BSc.Ed. and B.A.Ed), and other combinations in Library and Information Science Department, Adult Education Department and also Science and Technical Education Department, Special Education. In 2014, the Department gave birth to a new Faculty of Earth and Environmental Science. some staff were transferred to form their core staffing. Four additional departments namely, Geology, Estate Management, Quantity Survey and Architecture were introduced. The department is starting a new B.Sc. programme in Meteorology in 2020/2021. The Department started Postgraduate Programme (M.Sc.) in Land Resources (Administration and Development) in the 1983/84 session. Late in the 1980s, PhD (by research) Programme began in the Department. However, with the new position of the National Universities Commission (NUC) course work was developed and introduced into the Postgraduate Curriculum in 2002. In the 1994/95 session the Department introduced a Postgraduate Diploma Programme with three options (Environmental Management, Land Administration and Soil Evaluation). A Master's Programme in Environmental Management (MEM) began in the Department in the 2005/2006 academic session. The Department in the 2011/12 session introduced Master of Science and PhD degree programmes in Geographywith specializations in seven areas: Physical Geography, Human Geography, Environmental Management, Population and Development, Development Geography, Climate Change and Development, and Geographic Information System. In 2014/2015 session new MSc and PhD programmes in Natural Resource Management and Climate Change were mounted. These programmes are supported by the Centre for Dryland Agriculture and attract students from many African Countries. In 2018, a new professional Masters of Geographic Information System (GIS) was also mounted. The Department has grown from a seeding of two students and four lecturers in 1974, to an Iroko of about 330 undergraduate, over 200 postgraduates (including PhD) students, with an academic staff strength of twenty eight (28) composed of 30% in professorial cadre, 15%, senior lecturers and 55% lecturer I and below.