Bayero University initially bore the name Ahmadu Bello College, the college was named after Premier of Northern Nigeria, Ahmadu Bello. It was founded in January 1960 by the Northern Nigeria Ministry of Education headed by Isa Kaita to prepare senior secondary certificate holders for G.C.E. and A-level in Arabic, Hausa, Islamic History, Islamic studies and English Literature. Upon the establishment of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Kaduna State, Ahmadu Bello College was renamed to Abdullahi Bayero College, after Abdullahi Bayero, Emir of Kano and soon thereafter it became a faculty of the new university.