MD, Nigerian Ports Authority

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaigner, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman as the new Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

She replaces Habib Abdullahi who was sacked for the second time from the position.

A press release issued by the Director of Press of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mrs. Yetunde Sonaike, confirmed Usman’s appointment.

Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman  makes history as the first female MD of NPA.

Sonaike also said the President has also appointed three news Executive Directors for the NPA. They are Mohammed Bello-Koko (Finance); Prof. Idris Abubakar (Engineering) and Dr. Sekonte Davies (Marine Operations).

These appointments took effect from Monday 11th July 2016.

The Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman was born on 2nd January, 1976 in Zaria, Kaduna State. She holds a B.Sc. Degree in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and a Post Graduate in Development Studies from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom in 2009. She started her Career with Centre for Democratic Development and Research Training (CEDDERT) Zaria, a Non-Governmental Organization in June 2000 as a Research Assistant. She worked at the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) from July 2000- August 2004 as an Enterprise Officer.

She was hired by the UNDP for the Federal capital Territory Administration (FCTA) from October 2004 to January 2008 as a Special Assistant to the Minister on Project Implementation. She worked as Director of Strategy of Good Governance Group, a Non-Governmental Organisation from 2011 to July 2015.

From July 2015, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kaduna State, a position she held until her present appointment.

Stakeholders say they wait to see if malam Habib Abdullahi, who also sacked by former President Goodluck Jonathan but recalled by PMB, would be recalled again.