Professor Kabir Bala graduated with B.Sc. (Hons) Building in 1985 from the Department of Building, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He worked briefly at Amana Development Company in Kaduna before joining the services of ABU, at the Department of Building in 1987. He obtained the Master of Science in Building Services in 1990, Masters in Business Administration in 1998 and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Construction Management in 2001, all from Ahmadu Bello University. He was at the Department of Civil Engineering, Surveying and Building, University of Abertay, Dundee Scotland as a Visiting Scholar in 1994 /1995.
He rose through the ranks and was appointed Professor of Construction Management in 2007. He has taught and examined several undergraduate and postgraduate courses and has successfully supervised 15 PhDs and over 35 M.Sc. candidates to graduation. He has over 80 publications in national and international academic journals and referred conference proceedings to his credit; with more than 50% published after attaining the rank of Professor. He has attracted grants from a variety of funding sources, and donations in kind for the University. He has also facilitated many collaborations between ABU and other Universities/organisations. Professor Bala has acquired extensive administrative experience; having served in different capacities at the Departmental, Faculty, University and national levels. He was two-time Head of Department from 2001 to 2006 and from 2010 to 2014; he was the pioneer ICT Coordinator of the University from 2005 to 2006 and Deputy Dean, Faculty of Environmental Design from 2006 to 2008. He served as Director of Academic Planning and Monitoring from 2010 to 2013, Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies from 2015 to 2017, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the University from 2017 to 2019.
Prof. Kabir Bala was appointed as the 12th Substantive Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University in March 2020. In February, 2013, Prof. Bala was appointed as Chairman of the Board of Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), and in October 2013, He was appointed as a Member of the Board of the National Universities Commission, (NUC), both by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Prof. Kabir Bala has been an External Assessor for Professorial appointments of many academics, for many universities in Nigeria. He is a member of several national and international professional organisations, which include the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), the society of Construction Industry Arbitrators (SCIArb), Nigeria, International Facility Management Association, (IFMA) USA, Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) U.K, International Association of Housing Science (IAHS), USA, Association for Project Management (APM) U.K, among others. He has organised and attended numerous local and international conferences, workshops and trainings, including those involving administration of higher institutions. He is the editor of two academic Journals, and member of the editorial boards of some others. He has visited over 30 countries including South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Burundi, the United States of America, Niger Republic, Cameroun, the United Kingdom, Ethiopia, France, Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Columbia, Ghana, Senegal, Republic of Benin, Togo, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Brazil, India, Mozambique, Spain, Tanzania, Switzerland, Malaysia and Russia. Professor Bala is happily married with children and grandchildren.