Born I 1958 at Nassarao village near Garoua, North Region of Cameroon, Professor Oumarou Bouba did his primary school studies in Garoua, Cameroon, from 1964 to 1970, then went on to secondary lower cycle education still in Garoua from 1970 to 1974. He was then enrolled in the Secondary High School in Garoua where he did the science series (physics chemistry mathematics) from 1974 to 1977, where he obtained a Baccalaureate. This earned him a scholarship to study in France, and he read Structural Science and Physics at Université d’Orléans from 1977 to 1980. He did his Masters 1981 to 1982, and went on to obtain a PhD in Ionized Atomic Physics in 1986, still from Université d’Orleans, France.

After obtaining his Masters, he was recruited as assistant researcher and laboratory assistant. He returned to Cameroon in 1987, and was recruited at the University of Yaounde as Lecturer. While being a university lecturer, he handled such administrative posts as Vice Chair of the Energy Commission at Orlearns University, Director of Academic Affairs and Cooperation at the University of Ngaoundere in Cameroon, Vice Dean and Later on Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Ngaoundere, and later on Vice Rector in charge of Teaching. It is from this post that he was appointed in 2008 Vice Chancellor of the University of Yaounde I, the biggest and oldest university in Cameroon.

He is married and father of five. He hails from a region in Cameroon where African traditions and customs are still very strong. He is a Second Class Traditional Ruler.