Tinubu’s young guns

Raymond Mordi, Deputy Political Editor and Emmanuel Badejo | Assistant Editor April 28, 2024

President Bola Tinubu was derided during the electioneering campaign by critics who said he was too old to govern the country. But he has pleasantly surprised everyone with his appointments. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI and Assistant Editor EMMANUEL BADEJO x-ray the government’s youth-inclusion agenda, a policy of giving more opportunities to young Nigerians to participate in governance, reducing the financial barrier to higher education for many students, creating job opportunities for the teeming youth population, among other things.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appears determined to fulfil his campaign promise of youth inclusion. Under his leadership as the 16th president of Nigeria, an unprecedented number of young people have been appointed to key positions where they can influence government decisions. Given his reputation as a talent spotter and nurturer, he left no one in doubt about one of the strategies he intends to use in turning around the fortunes of the country’s dwindling economy. 

In his inaugural address, he indicated what is in the offing for the teeming youth population. He declared that women and youths would feature prominently in his administration. He assured Nigerians that he would fulfil his campaign promise of creating more job opportunities in the country. He said he would remodel the economy to bring about growth and development through job creation, food security and end extreme poverty. The president said his administration would create meaningful opportunities for the youth and that he would honour his campaign promise of creating one million new jobs in the digital economy.

His campaign was largely based on his record as governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007. While at the helms in Lagos, the country’s economic nerve centre, he worked with many young and competent professionals. Many of the talents he spotted and worked with in one capacity or the other when he was governor have become high flyers in national politics and governance. It is this same mindset of putting square pegs in square holes that Tinubu, a trained accountant, brought into his position as president. So, youth inclusion and job creation perhaps top the agenda of his close to one-year administration so far.

Ironically, Tinubu was derided because of his age during the electioneering campaign. His critics said he was too old to govern the country. But he has pleasantly surprised everyone with his appointments.

Some of those that were appointed as ministers include Olu Verheijen (50), Bosun Tijani (46), Rukaiya El-Rufai (41), Aminu Maida, Kalil Suleiman Halilu, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Aisha Rimi, Charles Odii, Ayodele Olawande (34), Hannatu Musawa (49), Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (46), Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim (43), Doris Uzoka-Anite (41), Betta Edu, 36, Jamila Bio Ibrahim ((37), Joseph Utsev (43), Shaibu Audu (42) and Zaccheus Adelabu-Adedeji (46). Other young Nigerians in the cabinet are Fela Durotoye, Linda Nwabuwa Akhigbe, Aliyu Audu, Francis Adah Abah and Uzoma Nwagba. The appointment of the above young Nigerians into President Tinubu’s cabinet signals a clear departure from the perennial practice of recycling older politicians and alienating the youth from participating actively in governance and political leadership.

Many of the appointees have justified the confidence reposed on them by the president with their performance so far. For instance, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo is believed to have done well so far, going by a report released in February by the Economic Confidential, an Abuja-based news magazine. Within a few weeks of his appointment, he cleared a backlog of over 200,000 international passports.

He is implementing the automation of the passport application process, and facilitating the e-gates systems at airports to reduce passengers’ physical contact with immigration officers.

In a nation where obtaining something as basic as an international passport had become nightmarish, with the attendant deliberate scam and hardship, it looked something like magic when the interior minister ordered that within a specific timeline, he wanted all backlog of passports being processed to be done with.

Nigerians merely took his order as a public stunt not until long queues at passport offices began to disappear and ever-pessimistic Nigerians started making public revelations on social media of how the minister’s order had been yielding results. Yes, there were issues but it had to take a man of vision, courage and a good heart to drive the process.

Never in the history of the debates and processes leading up to the acceptance of a nominee for awards has any received the instant acclaim and endorsement Tunji-Ojo did. Once nominated, editors started reeling out instances of impressive showing by the minister since he took over. His attitude to work and readiness to engage were attributes which pronounced him in good stead.

Uzoka-Anite, who is the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, also made the Economic Confidential list of top-performing ministers for securing about $30 billion in foreign investment commitments in less than six months and facilitating bilateral agreements with Germany and the UK for artisan licensing skills to enhance the employability of youths.

Many observers have already hailed Tinubu’s approach to governance as the right way to go. Nigeria has the largest population of youths in the world, with a median age of 18.1 years. About 70 per cent of the population are under 30 and 42 per cent are under the age of 15. There are concerns over the quality of life of Nigerians generally. There are high levels of poverty, unemployment and insecurity – of food, lives and property. The youth are often left with the shorter end of the stick when it comes to governance and economic indices.

By including youth in policy formulation and decision-making processes, Tinubu’s administration is empowering the youth to become active participants in governance and society. Youth bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the table, helping to create innovative solutions to societal problems. This development can help ensure that the needs and interests of future generations are taken into account, leading to more sustainable and long-lasting development outcomes.

It is instructive to note that the general discontent of youths was part of the narratives that shaped the last general election and Tinubu appears determined to impact that segment of the population positively during his tenure as president. This policy would help to foster the spirit of inclusion.

Aside from appointing an unprecedented number of young persons to serve in his administration and creating more job opportunities, Tinubu has taken other steps to show that he is concerned about the plight of the younger generation. One such step is the student loan policy. The president has demonstrated his commitment to giving students access to loans to advance their education in higher institutions by signing the newly revised Student Loans Re-enactment Bill, 2024 into law recently. The new bill proposed the establishment of the Nigeria Education Loan Scheme (NELFund) as a corporate entity with the legal capacity to initiate and face litigation under its name.

Observers say the availability of student loans can help reduce financial barriers to education and help more students from low-income families pursue higher education. It is also believed that by providing students with the opportunity to access higher education through loans, the country can develop a skilled workforce that can contribute to economic growth and development.

Another step that demonstrates the administration is committed to youth inclusion is the directive the president reportedly gave to the Ministry of Education to include National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) graduates in the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) scheme. He also resolved the longstanding admittance of NOUN Law graduates to participate in Law School in the country for equal opportunities. He disclosed this during his presentation at the 13th convocation ceremony of NOUN at the university’s Convocation Arena, Jabi, Abuja.

Hitherto, NOUN graduates were excluded from participation in the NYSC scheme because the National University Commission (NUC) law did not allow those who did part-time studies to take part in the scheme. The original Act that established NOUN had indicated that its courses are by correspondence.

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Some NOUN Law Department graduates have been in a legal battle since 2015 to get the NUC to soft-pedal on the policy. The law graduates instituted an action on May 12, 2015, against the Council of Legal Education, the NUC, the Attorney General of the Federation and NOUN, over their refusal to admit them into the Law School. In their suit, the graduates wanted the court to compel the relevant authorities to make provisions to include graduates of the NOUN in the Nigerian Law School as benefiting from law graduates from other institutions.

But, with the new directive from President Tinubu, through the Deputy Executive Secretary of the NUC, Biodun Saliu, who represented him at the convocation, the opportunity has been presented for those within the age bracket to participate in the scheme as allowed by the law.

Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare believes Tinubu’s partnership with the youth will unlock the potentials of the Nigerian economy, with laws and provision of funding. Dare who worked closely with Tinubu as his media aide before his appointment during the Muhammadu Buhari administration as the Executive Commissioner (Stakeholder Management) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and later minister had given Nigerian youths an indication of what to expect even before the February 25, 2023 presidential election that brought Tinubu to power. The former minister made the remark while presenting the keynote address at a virtual conference organised by a youth wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Progressive Youth of the United Kingdom, with the theme “Nigeria’s Rebirth and the Triumph of Hope”.

He said: “Youth agenda is top on the list for the incoming government… Asiwaju has always said that ‘Education can defeat poverty’. He believes that student loans are critical. Sixty-eight per cent of those doing sports are youths. That’s why we have the National Sports Industry Policy approved to give incentives to people investing in sports.

“It will be fully implemented under Asiwaju. There is a commitment to get things done; a commitment to work with the private sector and unleash the potential of our youth. His government will improve on (former) President Buhari’s administration and properly finish what has been started.”

At the event, Dare had enjoined young Nigerians to get ready to key into Tinubu’s policies because he (Dare) was of the view that youth inclusion and job creation would be the fulcrum of his administration. The then minister acknowledged that there was a trust deficit between the youths and successive governments in the past, but he said the only way young Nigerians can benefit from an administration led by Tinubu is “to take a leap of faith” and key into his programmes. “If you don’t join the race, you can’t expect to win,” he added.

Dare spoke passionately about his relationship with Tinubu, particularly when he first met him. He said it was the former Lagos State governor who sought him out and gave him responsibilities at a time when he was a young journalist. He said: “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is a leader of men and a developer of talents. Inborn in him are the qualities you need in a progressive leader. He has foresight, discipline and imagination to take Nigeria further. He built a great team. He has never shifted grounds from progressive politics. That is the level of consistency that we need in the country today.”

Fredrick Nwabufo, one of the young Nigerians in Tinubu’s cabinet said the administration has remained true to its purpose, by churning out innovative initiatives to give flight to the dreams of youths. Nwabufo who is the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the President on Public Engagement added: “This is in the full appreciation of the boundless abilities, resilience, grit and excellence of Nigeria’s bubbling youth population. The youth are the most valuable resource of our nation, and even with basic accoutrements to function, they will always exceed expectations and defy every stereotype.

“The administration, through the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has been in the pursuit of the noble vision of inspiring the use of technologies, especially the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies like UAV, IoT, AI and Blockchain to optimise different sectors of the economy.”

The ministry, Nwabufo added, has been initiating programmes for skill development, as well as mobilising support for the nation’s technological capabilities, where the youth has been the major proponents. In this regard, the Small and Medium Enterprises   Development Agency (SMEDAN) has been introducing schemes tailored towards the entrepreneurial needs of Nigerians, particularly the youths. For instance, under the Undergraduate Internship Programme, students in tertiary institutions can get hands-on entrepreneurial training through internships in top organisations.

The SSA to the President on Public Engagement said the Tinubu administration has provided access to finance for owners of small businesses, with the signing of an N5 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Fund between SMEDAN and the Sterling Bank.

He added: “The fund is a loan portfolio of single-digit interest rate and zero collateral. With the initiative, small businesses can access funding from as little as N250,000 to as much as N2.5 million. There is also the MSME Matching Fund by SMEDAN and the Bank of Industry to ease access to finance for small businesses across the states at a single-digit interest rate and without collaterals. The Conditional Grant Scheme, where nano businesses across the 774 local government areas are given N50,000 each is another initiative to help fledging businesses.”

Nwabufo said the Tinubu administration was the first to bring more women and youth into governance. For this reason, he added, the leadership continues to be celebrated across quarters. “This effort, among others, shows wholesale faith and trust in the young people and women of Nigeria,” he enthused.

Indeed, youths from across the 19 northern states on Tuesday passed a vote of confidence on Tinubu’s policies and the capacity of his appointees, saying the president has demonstrated an unalloyed commitment to the socio-economic advancement of the region. The endorsement came when the youth leaders converged in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for a two-day conference to deliberate on the state of the nation.

The youth leaders who gathered under the auspices of the Progressive Northern Youths Forum, a youth wing of the ruling party, indicated in their communique that Tinubu’s economic policies have fostered growth, job creation and investment, “which resonates with the aspirations of the North”. The communique added that the president has taken the necessary steps to address the issue of insecurity across the region.

The communique reads: “President Tinubu’s signing of the Student Loan (Access to Higher Education, Repeal and Re-enactment) Act 2024 to enhance the implementation of the Higher Education Student Loan Scheme by improving the management structure of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELF).

“This singular development will help the youths of the 19 northern states to bridge the education gap, allowing them to get the education that will translate into the economic empowerment that will help the region to beat poverty. President Tinubu recognises the potential of our youths. His initiatives such as the vocational training programmes, scholarships and youth empowerment schemes, empower young northerners to contribute meaningfully to society.”

The following throws more light on the background of some of the youngest ministers and other aides in President Tinubu’s cabinet.

Olu Verheijen:

Her name may not ring a bell to most Nigerians. But Mrs Olu Verheijen, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, is a trailblazer. Her appointment as the president’s adviser on energy seems to be well deserved, given her extensive experience and track record in the industry. She has a wealth of experience in the gas and renewable energy sectors across sub-Sahara Africa, spanning almost two decades.

Until her appointment, she served as the managing director of Latimer Energy, a consulting firm advising clients on value optimization in the acquisition, development and management of energy assets. Previously, she was a Partner at Persistent, an early-stage investment firm with a pan-African portfolio of distributed renewables companies, a Deal Lead at Shell and advised on gas commercialization and M&A transactions, and worked for Moody’s Investors Service in New York.

Mrs Verheijen is an advocate for empowering women and disadvantaged groups in expanding their career opportunities, particularly in high-growth sectors like energy. She is the Founder/CEO of the BFA Foundation which funds scholarships for women and other disadvantaged groups to expand their career advancement opportunities in high-growth sectors, including the energy sector.

The energy expert, who has a BA from Long Island University and a master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, serves as an advisory council member of the US Millennium Challenge Corporation and also an entrepreneur-in-residence at the Energy for Growth Hub.

Verheijen was formerly a Deal Lead at Shell where she advised on gas commercialisation, merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions valued at over $5 billion.  She was a member of the governing board of a Shell upstream joint venture.

Zacch Adedeji

Tinubu appointed Zaccheus Adedeji, 46, as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in September 2023. Adedeji popularly known as Zacch is an accountant, tax administrator, and public officer who specializes in corporate taxation and public finance development.

In 2011, barely seven months after his 33rd birthday, he was appointed Commissioner for Finance in Oyo State, the youngest person to have occupied such a position. He served until May 2015. Adedeji also served the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari as the fifth substantive Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council in March 2021.

He graduated with a first-class degree in accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and a certificate in comparative tax policy and administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Adedeji is the co-founder of RTR, a financial consulting firm that provides financial advisory and policy development services to public administrators and private institutions in West Africa.

Bosun Tijani:

Tinubu’s Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB); a pan-Africa innovation enabler that works at the forefront of accelerating the application of innovation and social capital for a better society.

He is an innovation expert on a mission to drive the application of science and technology for enterprise and economic prosperity across Africa. He has been celebrated as the leader and initiator of the Yaba Technology Cluster.

Dr Tijani is passionate about creating and leading platforms that have provided aspiring innovators the visibility and credibility they need to prototype, build and scale digital innovations across Africa. This has been acknowledged locally and globally with accolades including his inclusion in the list of 100 Most Influential People on the continent by New Africa Magazine.

Under his leadership, CcHUB has driven the growth of social innovation and technology across Africa through support to ground-breaking initiatives and businesses including Lifebank, BudgIT, Taeillo, Drugstoc, CcHUB Growth Capital, the CcHUB Design Lab (Rwanda) and the recent acquisition of Africa’s first known tech hub, iHUB (Nairobi).

Before CcHUB, he honed his depth of experience by designing and managing profitable business models for high-end enterprise solutions working with the International Trade Centre (UNCTAD/WTO) and Hewlett Packard (Switzerland) on projects supporting African SMEs to leverage technology to grow their businesses. As European Innovation Manager at PERA; He led the networking and coordination of the largest European Innovation Agencies with the goal of standardising approaches to knowledge commercialisation across Europe.

Tijani holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a diploma in computer science from the University of Jos, a master’s degree in information systems and management from Warwick University and a doctorate in innovation systems from the University of Leicester (United Kingdom).

He is a Desmond Tutu fellow and a fellow of the Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law at the prestigious Stanford University. He is happily married with two children.

Shaibu Audu:

Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, an expert in Corporate Finance and Investment Management, is the Minister for Steel Development. He is one of the young eggheads to watch out for in Tinubu’s cabinet.

Born to the family of the Late Prince Abubakar Audu, an astute banker and first civilian governor of Kogi State, the young Audu carries strong leadership and public service genes. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Business Economics with a second-class upper from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom in 2001.

He went further to acquire his master’s degree in International Securities, Investment & Banking (ISIB) from the Henley Business School, University of Reading. Remarkably well-rounded, Prince Audu bagged another master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

Following the completion of the mandatory National Youth Service (NYSC), he began what is now a glittering 20-year-career in corporate and investment banking, as well as assets and pension funds management, with Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc in 2003 in the Global Market treasury division.

By 2005, he became the Head, of Investment Management Stanbic IBTC Pensions when the Pension Reform Act was signed into law by former president Olusegun Obasanjo. Audu led the establishment’s efforts to set up Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited which is currently the largest pension funds administrator in Nigeria.

He eventually got promoted and appointed as the Divisional Head, of  Investment Management of the group between 2008 and 2013.

Afterwards, Prince Audu moved on to the assets management coy of Stanbic IBTC where he rose to become an Executive director of the subsidiary from 2013- 2023. Concurrently, he was also named by the board as the Chief executive officer of the venture capital, Stanbic IBTC Investments Ltd, and held the position from 2013-2023.

During his 20-year-old career, he spent time working in several banks around the globe including Bank of New York Mellon in Boston and Credit Suisse’s global headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

Rukaiya El-Rufai:

Rukaiya El-Rufai is a Special Adviser to the President (seconded to the Vice President’s Office). Daughter of former Kaduna State governor, Rukaiya El-Rufai made history when she became the first female from Northern Nigeria to be named a partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers Nigeria in 2020.

The firm, which is the second largest professional services firm in the world, and the largest in Africa with operations in 157 countries, disclosed this as it announced its class of 2020 partners.

Reacting to her record-breaking achievement, Ms El-Rufai said it was a dream come true. She said: “It has always been my dream to be the first partner that will be a role model for female accounting professionals because there hasn’t been any partner from the northern part of Nigeria at all in any Big Four accounting firm.”

Aminu Maida:

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida is a native of Katsina State. He was born in 1979 to the late Mallam Wada Maida from Katsina State, a Chief Press Secretary to former President Muhammadu Buhari when he was head of State.

Dr. Maida holds an MEng in Information Systems Engineering from Imperial College, London in 2002, and in 2006, he bagged a PhD in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from the University of Bath, United Kingdom.

Between 2018 and 2019, Maida completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship (FinTech Pathway) program at the Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Until his latest appointment by the President, Dr Maida was the Executive Directo of technology and operations at Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), the country’s central switch company owned by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and all licensed Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in Nigeria.

At NIBSS, Dr. Maida was responsible for spearheading the technical and operational standardization of all devices deployed in the financial system in Nigeria for interoperability. Maida led a dynamic team that ensured that all terminals used in the e-payment industry and all devices deployed in Nigeria would accept all cards issued by banks and other licensed card schemes without discrimination.

Before his appointment at NIBSS, Maida was the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at the Nigerian-based FinTech Arca Payments Network and Senior Manager at Cisco Systems, United Kingdom.

As a seasoned technical professional with over 15 years of multi-functional and international experience in FinTech & Telecoms & Enterprise Technology, Maida between 2010 and 2014, worked as a Network Design Consultant at EE, part of BT Group, and one of the largest mobile communications companies in the UK. He was also at some point (2006-2010) a System Engineer at Ubiquisys, a leading company in intelligent 3G and LTE small cells, which is now part of Cisco.

Dr. Maida, a professional par excellence with a broad range of experience, making him technically strong and commercially aware, is married with children.

Khalil Suleiman Halilu:

Khalil Suleiman Halilu is the Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASEMI). He was born in Kano on October 29, 1990. The oldest of five children, he began his secondary school career at St. Thomas Catholic School between 2001 and 2003 after attending Rainbow Primary School in Kano from 1996 to 2006. He finished his studies at Prime College in Kano.

Halilu attended the University of Hertfordshire immediately after graduating from secondary school. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2009 and a Master of Science in International Business in 2010.

He began his working career as an administrative assistant at Archimode & Associates soon after graduation. His career path took a surprising turn when he took over as Marketing Manager at Gongoni Company Limited, the family business where his father, Alhaji Abdullahi Halilu, was one of the directors. As a subsidiary of Scirrocco International Limited, which focuses on producing tea and cold beverages, Gongoni can take advantage of efficiencies gained through vertical integration.

Halilu has always been interested in finding innovative methods to help businesses succeed via the use of technology and information systems. He established a non-profit organisation, Centre for Civic, Welfare, and Community Development (otherwise known as CWCD Africa) in 2018 to address pressing societal issues such as health care, education, the environment, and global warming. Other areas of interest also include welfare for refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons, as well as sustainability and inclusive development.

Halilu oversaw the release of another CWCD product, the Zabe mobile app, which played a pivotal role in the 2019 general elections. The Zabe App is an attempt to decentralise electoral transparency and expand democratic participation. Zabe.ng was developed as an election monitoring software that can keep voters up to date with real-time information to further verify that the procedures in the election were fair and reliable.

He has a wide range of interests, with golf and polo being two of his favourites. He is a member of the Abuja Polo Club, Nigerian Polo Association, Lagos Polo Club, and Kano Golf Club

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi:

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director-General/CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, is a transformational expert with key competencies across policy formulation, administration, growth management, talent development, solutions architecture, resource mobilisation and strategy implementation.

Andullahi is a thoroughbred IT professional, with an impressive resume in public and private sector IT development, policy formulation, and IT governance. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi. He holds various executive certificates from top-notch universities such as Harvard University, University of Cambridge, London Business School and Oxford University, UK. Abdullahi is also an alumnus of the prestigious IMD Business School, in  Switzerland, and a trained strategist from the world-famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He equally holds many professional certifications in telecommunications, service management, networking, and solution design.

Abdullahi, being the first Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) in Nigeria’s public sector has bagged nearly two decades of experience in the public and private IT space. He started his professional career at Galaxy Backbone Ltd where he served as a network engineer and senior network and lead solution architect. In 2014, he joined the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as a Technology Architect where he was part of the team that developed the CBN Technology Architecture Repository (TAR) and also executed software license rationalization that has increased cost savings for the bank in licensing annual subscription. He joined NITDA in 2017 as the Technical Assistant to the then Director General, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, and has significantly contributed to the Agency’s growth and development.

Aisha Rimi:

The new CEO of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Aisha Rimi was born and raised in Katsina state a devout Muslim family. Her academic journey led her to obtain a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree with a specialization in International Commercial Law from the University of Buckingham. Building upon this foundational knowledge, she furthered her legal education at the same institution, earning a Master of Laws (LLM

A leading transaction lawyer with expertise in foreign investment and business advisory for doing business in Africa, Ms Rimi has significant experience working with development finance institutions (DFIs) on multi-million-dollar investments in infrastructure projects.

Her appointment as CEO of NIPC comes at a time when the country is poised to attract significant investments in key sectors including infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and manufacturing. Her proven track record and deep understanding of the Nigerian investment landscape will be invaluable in leading NIPC’s efforts to promote and facilitate investments that will create jobs and drive economic growth.

Charles Odii:

Charles Odii, 35, is a highly respected entrepreneur and advocate for small businesses. He describes himself as someone on a mission to empower entrepreneurs and startups in Africa to create jobs, drive economic growth, and build a better future for all. He has over a decade of experience in senior management roles in the technology and business development sectors. He has a proven track record of success in leading and growing teams, developing and executing strategies, and building partnerships.

In 2009, Charles Odii earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems from Covenant University. He then pursued Project Management Certification (Prince 2, Foundation and Practitioner) in 2011, at the same university.

He also has a Master’s Degree in Marketing and Communications and a PhD in Media and Communications from Pan Atlantic University in Lagos, Nigeria.

His most recent role was as Country Manager at Elephant Healthcare, United Kingdom (Sept 2021 to Sept 2023). He was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s operations in Nigeria. Before that, he was the Senior Vice President of Marketing at Softcom (Sept 2020 – Sept 2021) and Executive Director at SME100Africa (July 2014 – Sep 2020).

He was also the Chief Operating Officer at The Future Project (December 2013 to July 2014), Projects Team Lead, Bilateral Data & Communications (April 2012 – October 2013) and started as Account Manager, at  Dimension Data (NTT Group) (December 2009 – April 2012).

Odii has for over the past decade exudedana unrivalled passion for the development of small and medium businesses in Nigeria. It is in this spirit and enthusiasm that he has founded several initiatives to promote the cause of small and medium-scale enterprises.

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo:

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, 46, is the Minister of Interior. He also has a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the University of North London, England, United Kingdom. He also has a Master’s degree in Digital Communication and Networking from the same school. He was a member House of Representatives before he was appointed to serve in the president’s cabinet in August last year.

With his exposure and deep knowledge of critical sectors of the economy especially the Oil and Gas, Information Technology, as well as expertise in policy making and development in Agriculture, Research, Finance, Management Consultancy and Manufacturing industries, he has made a mark for himself in the executive branch of government, having been a two-term member of the House of Representatives.

His résumé is rich. He consulted for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) (Management) Board, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Nigeria Gas Company (NGC), National Petroleum Investment and Management Services (NAPIMS), Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), World Bank, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), National Health Insurance Scheme, Abuja (NHIS), Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education among others.

A Certified Ethical Hacker, CEH, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has a Master’s Degree in Digital Communication and Networking (2006) London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom; Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication Engineering (2005) London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom; Bachelor of Science in International Relations (In View) University of London; Certification in Ethical Hacking and CounterMeasures (2006) Britannia Training Academy, United Kingdom.

Hannatu Musawa:

Nigerian youths have always demanded to be given a chance to participate in government. For this reason, the appointment of the likes 43 years 43-year-old Hannatu Musawa as Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy deserves a thumbs up for the Tinubu administration.

Musawa, 49, an indigene of Katsina State, obtained her law degree from the University of Buckingham, the United Kingdom. Musawa also has a postgraduate master’s degree in Oil and Gas Law from the University of Aberdeen.

Musawa has had a varied and successful career in different fields. She has worked as a lawyer in private companies, providing legal counsel and representation in various matters. She has also specialized in marine affairs and oil & gas law, demonstrating her competence in these challenging areas.

She was appointed by President Tinubu, after serving as his Special Adviser on Culture and Entertainment Economy. She oversees the promotion and development of the creative sector in Nigeria, as well as the preservation and display of the country’s cultural heritage.

Doris Uzoka-Anite:

Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, 41, is the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment. She hails from Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State. She is a medical doctor by profession. She holds a Bachelor of Medicine, and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Benin.

She attended several trainings including the University of Oxford (Oxford Fintech Program 2019) Oxford Algorithmic Trading Program, Advanced Risk and Portfolio Mgt Institute (ARPM), London Academy of Trading. She was admitted to TRIUM (New York University, Stern School of Business, HEC Paris, London School of Economics and Political Science) in 2021. She also holds the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter.

She started her career as a Medical Officer at Eko Hospital and Providence Hospital in Lagos before making the bold career move to finance by joining Zenith Bank in 2002, rising through the ranks in record time from an Assistant Banking Officer (ABO) in 2002 to Group Treasurer of the Zenith Bank Group in 2019 while being one of the most decorated and awarded personnel of the bank.

Her sterling performance at Zenith Bank culminated in an invitation from her home state to be appointed as the youngest commissioner of Imo State. She served as the Commissioner for Finance and Coordinating Economy where she managed the finances of the state while also supervising 27 other Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure the overall economic development of the State.

Ajuri Ngelale:

Ajuri Ngelale, 38, an ex-aide to former President Muhammadu Buhari, was in July 2023 appointed as the official spokesperson & Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity. Born in Platteville, Wisconsin, United States, Ngelale hails from Ekporo in Eleme Local Government of Rivers State.

Ngelale has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, USA. Before his appointment, he worked at the African Independent Television (AIT) News. In 2017, he left AIT for Channels TV where he worked as a TV presenter, producer and senior news correspondent.

Fela Durotoye:

Adetokunbo Olufela Durotoye is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Values and Social Justice. The leadership expert and motivational speaker is more popularly known as Fela Durotoye.

The 52-year-old holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with Economics and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

An indigene of Ibadan, Oyo State, Durotoye was the presidential candidate of the Alliance for New Nigeria party (ANN) for the 2019 presidential elections.

Fredrick Nwabufo:

Fredrick Nwabufo is the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the President on Public Engagement. He was born in Lagos State, and he hails from Idemili North Local Government, Anambra State.

Nwabufo is a columnist, journalist, thought leader, communications strategist, and media consultant with extensive experience in investigative reporting, writing (features, policy & brief), editing, publishing, communications, and media management.

Uzoma Nwagba:

Thirty-six-year-old Uzoma Nwagba has recently been appointed to serve as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation. The appointee holds a Master’s of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School and a first-class Bachelor’s of Engineering from Howard University, Washington DC.

Before his appointment, Nwagba served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Bank of Industry (BOI), in charge of driving micro-credit and other financial interventions at the institution.