Professor Madougou Saidou is the Director of the Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI) Department at the African Union Commission and a Full Professor of Physics at Abdou Moumouni University in Niger. With more than two decades of experience in higher education, scientific research, and academic leadership, he has contributed to advancing education systems, research capacity, and transformation across Africa.
He holds a PhD in Physics from Université Toulouse III (France), a Master’s degree in Educational Sciences from Université Strasbourg I (France), and a postgraduate doctorate from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal. He has also completed specialized training in results-based project planning and management.
Before joining the African Union Commission, Professor Madougou served as Director of the École Normale Supérieure (ENS) at Abdou Moumouni University for six and a half years, following three years as Deputy Director. During his leadership, he implemented the Programme Régional d’Appui à la Qualité de l’Éducation en Afrique de l’Ouest (PRAQUE-AO), established the Centre for Innovative African Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning for Sub-Saharan Africa (CEA/IEA-MS4SSA), and led reforms of Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes.
Professor Madougou has also contributed extensively to scientific research and academic governance. Since 2014, he has directed the Laboratory of Energetics, Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Automation and Industrial Computing. He has authored and co-authored more than 70 scientific publications, participated in over 40 international conferences, supervised doctoral research, and served on more than 30 PhD examination juries across Africa.
His continental engagement includes serving on the Mathematics–Physics–Chemistry Specialized Technical Committee of the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES) from 2016 to 2023 and as General Rapporteur from 2021 to 2023. Through his leadership at the African Union Commission, Professor Madougou continues to support the advancement of education, science, technology, innovation, and knowledge systems in Africa.