About DRI

The Dawood research institute was founded in the year 2022 by Associate Professor Dauda Abubakar, a graduate of anthropology from the famous Freie University Berlin, Germany. As an anthropologist burning with passion for the wellbeing of human beings and development of our dear country Nigeria and Africa as a continent. Associate Professor Dauda Abubakar started the Dawood Research Institute in order to contribute in tackling the challenges of under development and poor human environment in Nigeria and Africa. He was a researcher in Berlin until 2014 when he returned to his country, Nigeria. He is currently serving as a senior researcher with the Center for Muslim Philanthropy Initiative, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University, USA. He is also a lecturer with the Department of Religion and Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, University of Jos, Nigeria.
With his wealth of experience in lecturing and research, he sees research as a necessary tool for any meaningful development. He believes that inadequate researches collapse businesses, organizations and communities in Nigeria and Africa. For these reasons, he came up with a unique research institute known as Dawood Research Institute in order to deepen research into developmental issues for the progress of Nigeria.

The purpose of the research institute is to perform research consultancy and training as well as collaborate with national and international institutions, government and Non-Governmental Organizations to provide support for the wellbeing of the society. The institute also aims at obtaining research funding from local and international organizations and donors to conduct researches and training through organizing conferences, seminars and workshops, research reports, articles/journals and books. This is in an effort to ensure adequate knowledge and information on people related issues concerning African societies. It will bring to bear the fundamental human problems that the common African people are faced with and proffer solutions through qualitative and quantitative research methods and analysis.
Dawood Research Institute envisages to become one of the most famous research institutes in Nigeria. The institute offers services in areas of but not limited to: academic and social research especially in the area of philanthropy and humanitarian endeavour. Since its establishment, the institute has collaborated with many experienced researchers from different fields of endeavors in and around Nigeria, especially in other countries in Africa such as South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Cote d’Ivore, Niger Republic, Sudan and around the globe, etc.
The Institute in its quest to succeed has held the maiden International Conference on “Contemporary Practice of Zakat in Africa” which was held at the Aliyu Akwe Doma Theatre, Faculty of Arts, University of Jos, Nigeria from 16^th – 18^th March, 2022, with sponsorship from Indiana University. The conference brought together academic scholars and practitioners from Nigeria, Sudan, Niger Republic, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. The conference was held in collaboration with the Center for Muslim Philanthropy Initiative, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University, USA and the Department of Religion and Philosophy, University of Jos, Nigeria. The conference was the first in Plateau State.