After receiving BSc in Physics from Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto and an MSc in Applied Physics from University of Jos,  in addition to a brief Engineering service at the Tactical Air-command, Makurdi and lecturing at Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Dr Bashir Gwandu, The Executive Commissioner (Engineering and Standards), proceeded to the United Kingdom where he attended MSc Courses in Power Electronics and Drives and MSc courses in Communications Engineering; he further obtained an MPhil degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, all from the University of Birmingham. 

He returned briefly to Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto to lecture before going back to the UK to study for a PhD in Electronic/Electrical Engineering at Aston University and subsequently undertook an MBA Finance course at the Birmingham Business School.

 Dr Gwandu has designed many devices that are used in the telecom industry some of which have been patented in Europe and United States. He is a Chartered Electrical Engineer, and a full member of the 3 main International Electrical Engineering Institutes, i.e. The IEE UK, IEEE USA, and IEICE Japan and has published over 36 Electronic and Electrical Engineering Research papers in world-class Electrical Engineering journals and conference proceedings. He is an acknowledged expert in his field, which made him selected as one of the reviewers who vet research papers for publication in 2 of the most prestigious IEEE (USA) Journals dealing with Optical Communications. In addition to lecturing in Engineering, Dr Gwandu also worked as Finance analyst/Forensic Accountant at ABR Associates and Hays Finance, and has also worked in advisory capacity for a number of engineering companies in the UK. He was a General Manager for a telecom company in the West-Midlands, UK until July 2005

Since 2002, Dr Bashir Gwandu has been involved in research work on Regulation of Utilities. He was also one of the engineers invited as part of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) team to outline policy issues for the UK Energy White-paper. He was also a regular contributor to IEE/Ofcom consultation on spectrum management issues. In particular, Dr Bashir Gwandu’s MBA research work was on Utility market design for Nigeria, with focus on Restructuring, Regulatory and Tariff Setting Challenges. Dr Gwandu has also attended many courses on Telecoms/Utility Regulation in many countries around the World.

His major Engineering research focus and publications are in the areas of UHF/VHF transceivers, Optical communications, DWDM filters, add-and-drop filters, Radio-on-fibre filters, Fibre lasers, Microwave and RF systems, Dispersion management in long-haul optical fibre links, Erbium-doped Fibre Amplifiers (EDFAs), Optical fibre sensors, Underwater transducers, Digital modem design, Methods for requirements capture and analysis, etc.

Dr Gwandu is currently the Executive Commissioner for Engineering and Technical Standards at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); supervising Spectrum planning and management, Quality of Service Monitoring and Network Optimization, Equipment Type-approval, Numbering Plan, Allocation and Management. He was the Executive Commissioner in Charge of Licensing and Consumer Affairs of the NCC until Jun 07. At Licensing, Dr Gwandu supervised the Interconnect rate determination of Sept 2006 that led improved competition thereby leading to significant reduction in telecom Tariff in Nigeria, the re-classification of Sales and Installation Licenses to Class-Category which has encouraged SMEs Entry into the Market, the Issuance of all the 17 Unified- and hundreds of other Licenses in Nigeria that led to increased competition, the Liberalization of International Gateway for GSM operators that allows for carrying of 3rd Party Traffic thereby reducing tariff for International Calls, the elongation of Access Validity period beyond 90days for all networks on execution of every Revenue Generating Event which has cut down consumer loses and inconveniences, the introduction of Anti- Mobile Phone Theft Scheme in Nigeria to curtail phone theft, the introduction of Tariff Comparison Platform for Consumers so as to aid choice, the abolishing charges to Customer Care Lines, the Limiting of waiting times for answer on Customer Care Lines, the Management of the Nigerian Internet Exchange project for the ICT Industry, the Improvement of Credit Control system of the NCC to ensure prompt payment of statutory fees by operators, the first ever in-depth NCC investigation into the State of the Quality of Service (QoS) of the Nigerian Telecom Networks, and many other important regulatory policies of the NCC in 2006 -2007.

Dr Gwandu was part of the Launch Committee of the recently Launched Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComsat-1), has represented Nigeria in many Forums on Telecoms Regulations, and was until recently on the Board of the NigComSat Ltd, and the Board of Digital Bridge Institute. Dr Gwandu having skills in diverse areas of Engineering, Accounting, Finance, the Art of Regulation and Administration; the key competences required of a Utility regulator, is currently on the Board of NCC.