Vaqif Abbasov was born on 5 October 1952. He completed his secondary education in 1968. From 1969 to 1973, he studied at Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University, Faculty of Chemistry. In 1973, he started his postgraduate studies at the Institute of Petrochemical Processes named after Y.H. Mammadaliyev, Academy of Sciences. In l974-1975, he did his military service in the Soviet army. In 1978, Vaqif Abbasov defended a PhD thesis, and in 1991 achieved a ScD degree. From 1978 to 1983, he served as a junior research fellow, research fellow and senior research fellow at the Institute of Petrochemical Processes. In 1992, he was made a professor. From l984 to 2006, he served as laboratory head, and was appointed department chair in 2006. In 2007-2008, he served as the institute`s acting deputy director for research. Vaqif Abbasov has been its director since 2011. In 2001, he was elected a corresponding and in 2014 a full member of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. He gives lectures on topical problems of petrochemistry at the Department of Petrochemistry and Chemical Technologies, BSU.

His major research fields include Naftalan, Surakhani and Balakhani oil, liquid hydrocarbons, particularly antistatic admixtures for jet fuel.

He has published 387 papers, seven monographs, 10 higher school and six secondary school textbooks, and 13 education handbooks. He is the holder of 20 authorship certificates, and three patents of the Russian Federation and 19 patents of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Vaqif Abbasov has supervised six ScD and 20 PhD students to completion.

He has been a full member of the International Academy of Ecology and Resource Management named after V.S. Altunin since 2003. In 2004, he received “Leading Education Worker” badge, and in 2015 was awarded “Shohrat” Order and “Merited Teacher” title. In 2009, he received “Science and Technology Award” from the Economic Cooperation Organization.