Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed CON ((Listen); born 16 June 1960) is a Nigerian accountant[1] and politician who served as the minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning of Nigeria[2][3] from 2019 to 2023. She previously served as the minister of finance from 2018 to 2019, and as the minister of State for Budget and National Planning from 2015 to 2018.[4][5] In 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari brought the two ministries under her as one, making her the minister of the Economy.[1][6]

Zainab Ahmed
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning
In office
21 August 2019 – 29 May 2023
PresidentMuhammadu Buhari
Minister of StateClement Agba
Preceded byHerself (as Minister of Finance)
Udoma Udo Udoma (as Minister of Budget and National Planning)
Succeeded byWale Edun (as Minister of Finance)
Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (as Minister of Budget and Economic Planning)
Minister of Finance
In office
14 September 2018 – 28 May 2019
PresidentMuhammadu Buhari
Preceded byKemi Adeosun
Succeeded byHerself (as Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning)
Minister of State for Budget and National Planning
In office
11 November 2015 – 14 September 2018
PresidentMuhammadu Buhari
MinisterUdoma Udo Udoma
Succeeded byClement Agba
Personal details
Born (1960-06-16) 16 June 1960 (age 64)
Political partyAll Progressives Congress
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Politician
  • accountant

An accountant by profession with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from ABU Zaria and a Master's in Business Administration (MBA), Ahmed was appointed as Finance Minister upon the resignation of the previous minister Kemi Adeosun on 14 September 2018.[7]

Early life and education

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Ahmed was born in Kaduna State. She had her secondary school education at Queen Amina College, Kaduna, and later proceeded to have her A'Level in Zaria.[8] She got her first degree in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981, after-which she proceeded to Olabisi Onabanjo University for her MBA.[9]

Ahmed's MBA was obtained in August 2004 from the Ogun State University, Ago Iwoye; while her BSc Accounting (1981) was from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria; IJMB ‘A’ Levels (1979) from SBS/ABU Zaria; and WASC ‘O’ Level in 1977 from Queen Amina College, Kaduna.[10][11]

Ahmed holds fellowship status with the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) and is affiliated with both the Nigerian Institute of Taxation and the Nigerian Institute of Management.

Mrs. Zainab Ahmed serves as an ex-officio member on the ICRC Governing Board.[12]

Political career

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[13] Ahmed is the current Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning[14] of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A portfolio that makes her one of the country's most influential minister. In that capacity, she's seeking to boost government revenue, with plans underway to raise value-added tax while taming public debt that is now estimated at more than $80billion.[15]

Ahmed was the immediate past executive secretary and national coordinator of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI). She was also a member of the last two NEITI boards, having worked in the NEITI and global EITI.[16]

Upon graduation, Ahmed was employed in 1982 as an Accountant II in the Main Accounts of Ministry of Finance in Kaduna State and was promoted to Accountant I in March 1984, but resigned in 1985 to join NITEL. Earlier, she had done her National Youth Service in Kaduna State in 1981/1982 where she was posted for primary assignment to Messrs. Egunjobi Suleiman & Co. Chartered Accountants, and served as an Audit Trainee.[17]

Ahmed has served the Nigerian public in various high ranking positions, including as managing director of the Kaduna State of Nigeria's investment company, and also the Chief Finance Officer of the Nigeria mobile telecommunications company.[18] Zainab was reappointed and sworn in as the Minister of Finance on 21 August 2019 by the President.[19][20]

Other activities

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Award

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In October 2022, a Nigerian national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) was conferred on her by President Muhammadu Buhari.[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Oladeinde Olawoyin (17 September 2018). "Zainab Ahmed: The official overseeing Nigeria's finance ministry". Premium Times. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  2. ^ "'Minister's approval of TAT rule at variance with enabling Act'". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  3. ^ Ayitogo, Nasir (21 August 2019). "Buhari assigns portfolios to new ministers". Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  4. ^ "The CVs of Buhari's ministers at a glance". PM News. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  5. ^ "Nigeria is the hub of stolen cars – Finance Minister, Ahmed Zainab". Naijalitz. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Zainab Ahmed". World Bank Live. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Buhari accepts Adeosun resignation, names Zainab Ahmed as replacement". Cable. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  8. ^ Press, Fellow (17 September 2018). "Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed's profile – Fellow Press". Fellow Press. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  9. ^ "The CVs Of Buhari's Ministers At A Glance". PM News. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  10. ^ "Zainab Ahmed: The official overseeing Nigeria's finance ministry". www.premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed". EITI. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  12. ^ "NBET". nbet.com.ng. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Zainab Ahmed". World Bank Live. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  14. ^ AfricaNews (21 August 2019). "Nigeria's new cabinet inaugurated, president remains Petroleum minister". Africanews. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  15. ^ "Zainab Ahmed". live.worldbank.org. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  16. ^ TVCN (24 September 2018). "Zainab Ahmed fit for office of finance minister – GOGAN - Trending News". Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  17. ^ "Profile of Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed - Daily Trust". dailytrust.com. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  18. ^ Television, Oak (28 May 2019). "Nigeria's Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed, bags new degree from 'PMB School of Good Governance'". OAK TV. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  19. ^ "Fashola gets Works as Ngige, Amaechi, Lai retain portfolios". The Nation Newspaper. 22 August 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  20. ^ "100Women | Avance Media | Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed". Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  21. ^ 2019 Annual Report African Development Bank (AfDB).
  22. ^ Board of Governors ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID).
  23. ^ Members International Monetary Fund (IMF).
  24. ^ Board of Governors Islamic Development Bank.
  25. ^ Board of Governors World Bank.
  26. ^ "Mrs. Zainab Ahmed: 24th Nigerian Minister Of Finance | The Abusites". 8 March 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  27. ^ "FULL LIST: 2022 National Honours Award Recipients The Nation Newspaper". 9 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.