[2] Fatima Lami was born on 12 April 1951 in Minna, Nigeria and completed her high-school education at Our Lady's High School and St Anne's Queen's Elizabeth Secondary School in Ilorin, Kwara.
Abubakar began her career in law as an inspector and senior counsel in Nigeria.
She was named the solicitor general of the Niger State Ministry of Justice in 1985 and a judge for the High Court in 1989.
[7] Outside of her career in law, Abubakar was a part of a constituent assembly from 1988 to 1989 and a bank fraud committee from 1989 to 1992.
[8] She was conferred with Sir Ahmadu Bello Honours Award for her outstanding service to humanity, advocacy on child rights and prison congestion by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna.