Prof. Abdul Ganiyu Ambali was born in Ilorin, Kwara state in 1957 to the family of Mall. Ambali Gidado and Mrs. Husseina Angulu. After his primary education at Pakata Primary School, Ilorin, he proceeded to McBride Secondary School Jalingo, (now Government Secondary School, Jalingo) in Taraba State. Thereafter, he was at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria and University of Liverpool, UK for his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees respectively. He was awarded the degree of DVM (1981), from ABU, and M.V.Sc, and PhD, (1984, and 1989) from University of Liverpool, UK. He became a Member of College of Veterinary Surgeons of Nigeria, (MCVSN) in year 2004.

Prof. Ambali started his carrier as a Veterinary Surgeon, with the Ministry of Rural & Community Development, Kano, Nigeria in 1981 as a Youth Corper. He later joined the services of the University of Maiduguri as an Assistant Lecturer in 1982, rose through the ranks and became Professor of Veterinary Medicine in 1995. To date, he has twenty-eight years of teaching experience at University level. Prof. Ambali has supervised many postgraduate students at both Masters and PhD levels and at present has graduated seventeen postgraduate students and some are still under his supervision. The students are from different establishments across the country. He has published about eighty articles in local, national and international peer reviewed journals.

In terms of administrative responsibilities, Prof. Ambali has held a number of academic and administrative positions within and outside the ivory tower. Notable among which are; Head, Dept. of Vet. Medicine Univ. of Maiduguri, (for 5years), Director, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Maiduguri, (for 5years), Ag. Dean and later substantive Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, member and/or chairman of various Council and Faculty committees and the Foundation Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. In addition to these, he was one time member of University of Maiduguri Governing Council, representing the Senate for 2 terms.  These responsibilities afforded him the opportunity to serve in various committees including among others, Finance and general purpose committees, Staff recruitment and promotion committee. He was also one time a member of Bureau for Public procurement (BPP) of University of Maiduguri.  Prof. Ambali has served the Federal establishments in various capacities, as either member or chairman of visitation panels and/or accreditation teams to monitor academic standard in his discipline at various Universities/Agencies across the country. These are through the National Universities Commission (NUC), Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) and Department of Livestock Services of the federal Livestock Department, federal Ministry of Agriculture, Nigeria to mention but a few. As a mark of recognition of his academic excellence, Prof. Ambali has served as external examiner to several Universities in Nigeria at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He is also the Coordinator of Bird Flu Surveillance for North East Zone.

Prof Ambali is a recipient of several Honors and Awards among which are; The Borno State Government Scholarship, tenable at ABU, Zaria, Nigeria; University of Maiduguri Staff Development Scholarship, tenable at University of L'pool, UK; National Merit Award, Federal Min. of Education, Lagos, Nigeria; World Bank Training Fellowship, tenable at Royal Veterinary College, University of London, UK; and Wellcome Trust Fellowship, tenable also at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, UK. Prof. Ambali has being acknowledged by a number of associations/communities he has had contact with among which are The McBride Old Students Association, for being the First Professor from the college, Ilorin Descendant Progressive Union, Northern Zone Branch for his services to the community, the Ilorin Emirate Student Union, University of Maiduguri, Branch and Kwara State Students Union, University of Maiduguri Branch for his contribution to the unions.

Prof. Ambali was aMember, University of Maiduguri Governing council; Member University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital Management Board; Member, College of Veterinary Surgeons of Nigeria; Member, Nig. Vet. Med. Ass. Nigeria; Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Sahel Jour.  Vet. Sci.; and Member of Editorial Board of Nig. Jour.  Exptl. & Appld. Biol,. Consultant Editor, Vom Jour.  Vet. Sci. and Member World Poultry Science Association. Member of various committees at Faculty, Senate and University Governing Council levels.

His research interests include: investigation into pathogenesis of viral diseases and development of viral vaccines against poultry diseases; use of genetic engineering technology for disease diagnosis and control (DNA vaccine development).

Source: Unilorin Website