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Mathematics in Nigeria has grown tremendously and there are a lot of achievements that we are proud of as Nigerians.

Mathematics (from Greek μάθημα máthēma, “information, think about, learning”) is the investigation of points, for example, amount (numbers), structure, space, and change.

There are numerous perspectives among mathematicians and savants with regards to the correct extension and meaning of this science.

Mathematicians use scenarios to plan new guesses. Mathematicians confirm hypothesis by scientific verification.

Numerical thinking can give knowledge or expectations about nature.

Using reflection and rationale, mathematics involves checking, computation, estimation, and the precise investigation of the shapes and movements of physical articles. Mathematics has been a human tool from as far back as composed records exist.

The effort put into analysis of mathematical problems can take years or even a very long time of constant deliberation and research.

There’s no archived history of the initiation of mathematics in Nigeria either by the colonialists or African convention. Whatever type of Mathematics existed in Nigeria before the colonial masters was disintegrated and supplanted by what we know today.

Here are 10 Facts about Mathematics in Nigeria

1. Chike Obi, Adegoke Olubummo, and James Ezeilo Pioneered Mathematics in Nigeria

Previous indigenous contemporary research activities of mathematics in Nigeria were spearheaded by Chike Obi, Adegoke Olubummo, and James Ezeilo who acquired their doctorates in mathematics from British Universities in the 1950’s.

Obi and Ezeilo spent significant time in standard differential conditions and Olubummo in Analysis. The simple high quality of the mathematical research of these pioneers has been an intense propelling power of numerous scholars studying mathematics in Nigeria.

Adegoke Olubommo

In any case, Emeritus Professor Chike Obi, Nigeria’s first alumni mathematician who didn’t make residency until 20 years a got his Ph.D in 1950. He was nearly trailed by 2 others in 1954, and who both made residency in 1964 to be specific Emeritus Professors. The other two include JOC Ezeilo and Adegoke Olubummo.

James Ezeilo

These trio are in charge of the greater part of the scientific progression of mathematics in Nigerian especially the tertiary organizations. Different educators and researchers have contributed enormously as the years progressed.

Chike Obi

2. Mathematically, Nigeria has been a leader in Africa

Though, mathematics in Nigeria has grown at a very fast rate, Africa has seen tremendous growth of mathematics through thought leaders in Nigeria.

The second Pan African Congress in Mathematics was held in 1986 in Jos, Nigeria. Aderemi Kuku was a two-term president of the African Mathematical Union (1986-1995).

Also in 1986 Grace Alele Williams, a Nigerian founded AMUCWMA, the African Mathematical Union’s Commission on Women in Mathematics in Africa.

3. Prof Olabisi Ugbebor is the first woman to be a Professor of Mathematics in Nigeria

Prof Olabisi Ugbebor is the first woman to be a Professor of Mathematics from the University of Ibadan, her alma mater.  This makes her one of the foremost females to gain recognition for mathematics in Nigeria. She gained admission to study Mathematics in 1969 at the University of Ibadan. The university later sponsored her to the University of London for a PhD, which she got in 1976 at the age of 25.

At the University of London, when she took her PhD, she was asked by a professor ‘how many of you are going back to the university level to teach?’ she raised her hand. After this, a special workshop was arranged where she chose algebra, one of the driest mathematics subjects. She was then asked to teach a group of students and they all passed.

She believes that mathematics has robust application. She initially started with Measure Theory by applying it to some motions. Then, she applied it to foreign exchange and presented a paper at the University of Cape Town on that research in South Africa, and she was made a member of the African Economic Society after presenting that paper.

Later on, she did another research on queuing theory .  As an example, If voting starts at 8am, they will start counting the queue at 8. Nobody had ever done research about people queuing at 4am. In an interview she said ‘That is pre-queue. There is no queuing theory on pre-queue. There is already a queue before time zero. We had to do a research into that.

Many challenges we had; but the beautiful thing is we translated it in such a way that somebody who is not a mathematician can just pick the result and improve our voting system’.

The theory proved that there is no need for Nigerians to queue endlessly to vote, showing the value of mathematics in Nigeria.

4. Yewande Olubunmo, a US-Based Mathematician world class mathematician is a Nigerian

Yewande Olubummo, a professor, is the daughter of the renowned late Professor Adegoke Olubummo, the first Mathematician in Nigeria.

Yewande Olubummo herself is a professor of mathematics at Spelman College in Atlanta, and has been for over two decades.

She made a First Class in Mathematics at the University of Ibadan and proceeded to study in the United States for higher degrees.

She was able to get admission into both oxford and Yale university.

Oxford did not give any financial assistance but Yale did, so she went to Yale.

Even though she didn’t know what her career path was initially, she loved teaching.

Now, she encourages women to go into mathematics in Nigeria.

According to her,

“I didn’t have a good experience at Yale. I didn’t know what was expected and I didn’t have any support. It was a lonely and isolating experience and I didn’t do well in my doctoral oral exams.”

“I was 21, a naïve 21, and I was the only black person in my department. To stave off loneliness, I became active in the Nigerian community at Yale and New Haven. I went to parties and had a busy social life.”

“I ended up getting my Master’s degree in mathematics from Yale. It so happened that an African-American professor was visiting Yale from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst at the time. He took an interest in me and invited me to apply to UMass Amherst.”

Her father was disappointed that she did not complete the Ph.D. program at Yale but she found someone who took interest in her and encouraged her not to give up.

She started applying to teaching positions while she was already teaching full time at Smith College while writing my dissertation.

In her own words,

“The job market in the U.S. was tough and the situation in Nigeria was not good either. I was lucky to get a couple of offers. I got an offer from Spelman College in Atlanta. An African-American mathematician from Spelman was visiting Smith to evaluate their math department at the time. Her name is Sylvia Bozeman.”

“She encouraged me to apply to Spelman. It’s because of her that I’m at Spelman today. She has been my colleague and mentor for over two decades. She and the other African-American professor who was visiting Yale, Professor Donald St. Mary, were critical to my professional advancement. They are both eminent black Mathematicians in the United States.”

Apart from Math activities at home, she also believe that children should be encouraged to participate in activities such as math fairs and competitions.

5. The Nigerian Mathematical Center was established in 1988

The Nigerian mathematical center, a fully functional entity was established in 1988, which still runs to date. The centre, alongside other academic groups and associations, continues to play a key role in the advancement of mathematical studies at all levels of study in Nigeria. This has helped to foster the growth of mathematics in Nigeria.

6. There are exciting, well paid mathematics related career opportunities in Nigeria

Initially, you need to choose where you need to make your vocation. What remarkable aptitudes you are having. Picking a correct profession choice ought to be simply based on our advantage and energy to accomplish something. So investigate yourself and after that choose where you need to move yourself.

Mathematics certificate graduates are regarded for their fantastic quantitative and critical thinking capacities and win an extensive variety of compensating positions in the general population and private divisions. There has been an expansion in the quantity of understudies examining mathematics being utilized in saving money, back, protection and hazard administration.

Normal employment profiles of understudies in the wake of finishing Graduation in Mathematics include:

Analyst, Research Analyst, Operations Analyst, Data Analyst, Business Analyst and Finance Analyst. Numerical Analyst, Mathematician and so on.

Skills and Competencies needed in Mathematics

• A maths degree helps you develop skills in:
• designing and conducting observational and experimental studies
• investigating, analysing and interpreting data, finding patterns and drawing conclusions
• information technology
• approaching problems in an analytical and rigorous way, formulating theories and applying them to solve problems
• dealing with abstract concepts
• presenting mathematical arguments and conclusions with accuracy and clarity
• advanced numeracy and analysing large quantities of data
• logical thinking

Jobs directly related to maths degree include:

• Actuarial analyst
• Actuary
• Chartered accountant
• Chartered certified accountant
• Data analyst
• Data scientist
• Investment analyst
• Research scientist (maths)
• Secondary school teacher
• Software engineer
• Statistician

Jobs where maths degree would be useful include:

• Civil Service fast streamer
• Financial manager
• Financial trader
• Insurance underwriter
• Meteorologist
• Operational researcher
• Quantity surveyor
• Software tester

7. Almost Every Universities in Nigeria offer Mathematics

Some of the Universities offering mathematics in Nigeria include:

• Ritman University (RITMAN)
• Sokoto State University (SSU)
• Kings University (UNIKINGS)
• Summit University Offa (SUMMIT)
• South Western University (SWU)
• NorthWest University, kano (NWU)
• Mountain Top University (MTU)
• Al-Qalam University, Kastina (AUK)
• HallMark university (HALLMARK)
• Gregory University, Uturu (GUU)
• Federal University Gashua (FUGASHUA)
• Edwin Clark University (ECU)
• Chrisland University (CHRISLAND)
• Augustine University (AUI)
• Mcpherson University (MCU)
• Evangel University (EVANGEL)
• Elizade University (ELIZADE)
• Jigawa State University (JSU)
• Yobe State University (YSU)
• Federal University, Birnin kebbi (FUBK)
• Federal University Gusau (FUGUS)
• Hezekiah University (UNIHEZ)
• Wesley University Of Science and Technology (WUSTO)
• Wellspring University (WELLSPRING)
• Veritas University, Abuja (VERITAS)
• University Of Mkar (UNIMKAR)
• Taraba State University (TASU)
• Samuel Adegboyega University (SAU)
• Salem University (SALEM)
• Rhema University (RHEMA)
• Plateau State University (PLASU)
• Paul University (PAUL)
• Nigeria Turkish Nile University (NTNU)
• Landmark University (LANDMARK)
• Kano University of Science ANd Technology (KUST)
• Godfrey Okoye University (GO)
• Fountain University (FOUNTAIN)
• University of Ibadan (UI)
• University of Benin (UNIBEN)
• University of Abuja (UNIABUJA)
• Abia State University (ABSU)
• University of Nigeria (UNN)
• Univesity of Lagos (UNILAG)
• Imo State University (IMSU)

Here is a detailed list of Universities and Institutions offering Mathematic in Nigeria

8. A Nigerian Mathematical scholar solved a 156-year-old problem in math.

Ado-Ekiti-The 156 years of age Riemann Hypothesis, the most imperative issue in Mathematics has been effectively illuminated by Nigeria Scholar, Dr Opeyemi Enoch

With this achievement, Dr Enoch, who educates at the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), has turned into the fourth egghead to determine one of the seven Millennium Problems in Mathematics.

The Kogi State-conceived mathematician had, before now, chipped away at scientific models and structures for creating power from sound, thunder and Oceanic bodies.

An announcement in Ado Ekiti said Dr Enoch introduction of the Proof on November 11, 2015 amid the International Conference on Mathematics and Computer Science in Vienna, Austria turns out to be more emblematic going ahead the correct day and month 156 years after the issue was conveyed by a German Mathematician in 1859.

The Riemann Zeta Hypothesis is one of the seven Millennium issues put forward by the Clay Mathematics Institute with a million Dollar remunerate for each tackled issue for as long as 16 years.

As indicated by the announcement, “Dr Enoch originally examined and afterward settled the cases of Riemann. He proceeded to Consider and to amend the misguided judgments that were imparted by Mathematicians in the past ages, therefore clearing path for his answers and evidences to be set up.

“He likewise demonstrated how different issues of this kind can be planned and gotten the lattice that Hilbert and Poly anticipated will give these unfamiliar arrangements. He uncovered how these arrangements are material in cryptography, quantum data science and in quantum PCs,” it expressed.

Dr Enoch had beforehand planned a Prototype of a storehouse for laborer ranchers and furthermore found a logical system for identifying and following somebody on a malevolent mission.

Enoch has prevailing with regards to designing strategies by which oil pipelines can be shielded from vandalism and he is right now taking a shot at Mathematical ways to deal with Climate Change.

9. Two Greensprings student top the world in the South African mathematics Olympiad competition

Watch the video of two young mathematician (Greensprings students) who made Nigeria proud.

10. Honour Olatunji of Greensprings School top the world in mathematics in IGSCE examination

Two years back (2016), Honor Olatunji of Greensprings Schools was decorated for being the best in Additional Mathematics in the ‘Top in the World‘ class while five different students of the school were perceived in the ‘Top in Nigeria’ classification, for having the best outcomes in various subjects.

Those are some of the facts we have gathered of mathematics in Nigeria. Do you think there is more?  let us know.