Stakeholders and development economists have commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the nomination of Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, popularly called Dattijo, as a Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The nomination, which was announced by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement last Friday, was greeted with excitement.
In a social media post, Joe Abah, a Nigeria Country Director of Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI), an international development partner, described Dattijo as an “exceedingly bright development economist.” He commended the President for the nomination, which he believed was done on merit.
In various social media posts, other development economists commended the President on the appointment of the CBN Governor and four Deputies, describing the development as an opportunity for a new beginning for Nigeria’s economy.
Abdullahi holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, an M.Sc in Development Economics and Policy from the University of Manchester, and a second Masters Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
He has also attended executive courses on Public Finance at the London School of Economics; Sustainable Development at Columbia University in New York and Advanced Project Management at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. He is currently in pursuit of a Doctoral Degree at the Henley Business School, University of Reading.
Abudullahi is a development economist with nearly two decades experience in development policy formulation, public finance and project implementation. He has served as a Policy Adviser at the Executive Office of United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, in New York. He was a member of the Secretary General’s core team that designed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Prior to his time at the UN, Dattijo served as an Economist and Deputy National Programme Manager in Nigeria’s Presidency where he supported the design and coordination of development interventions across 36 states, focusing on accelerating the country’s progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). He was subsequently appointed Economic Adviser of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, a political and policy think tank for the country’s 36 state governors.
In 2018, he was one of two Nigerians appointed to the World Bank Expert Advisory Council on Citizen Engagement. He was also recently appointed by the prestigious Henley Business School, University of Reading, United Kingdom as an associate and founding member of its Dunning Africa Center.
In a bid to tap from his experience as a seasoned Development Economist, Abdullahi was appointed into the Kaduna State Government as Commissioner, Planning and Budget Commission (2015 to 2019) where he led the development of the Kaduna State Development Masterplan. In July 2019, he was appointed as the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kaduna State, where he served diligently until October 2021. He was then reappointed as Commissioner for Planning and Budget Commission, the position he held until March 2022 when he voluntarily resigned.
He is expected to bring to bear his enormous experience towards implementing critical reforms at the CBN, which will enhance the confidence of Nigerians and international partners in the restructuring of the Nigerian economy toward sustainable growth and prosperity in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
He is a UK Chevening Scholar, member of the University of Oxford Business Alumni Network, Fellow of the Archbishop Tutu Leadership Institute and most recently a fellow of the Aspen Institute Africa Leadership programme-ALIWA. He recently authored a bestselling book, Disruption: Rethinking Governance to Work for the Poor.
