Hadiza Usman was born on January 2, 1976, in Zaria, Nigeria. She belongs to the Sullubawa clan, a family from the Fulani ruling elite. Her father was a well-known historian and academic named Yusufu Bala Usman.
On June 16 2023 shes appointed as the Special Adviser, Policy Coordination by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
The 10th Emir of Kano, Abdullahi Bayero, was her great-grandfather.
She grew up in Zaria, Nigeria, at the campus of Ahmadu Bello University, where her father was employed.
She is happily married to economic analyst Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi and blessed with children.
She studied at;
Ahmadu Bello University (Bachelor of Business Administration, 2000)
University of Leeds (Master of Development Studies, 2009); University Staff Primary School (Zaria)
Career:
Shes served in the positions stated below;
- She worked as a research assistant At the Centre for Democratic Development and Research Training in 1999.
- (2000–2004) Enterprise Officer at the Bureau of Public Enterprises
At the Federal Capital Territory - 2004 to 2008; she served as the Special Assistant to the Minister on Project Implementation.
- 2011 to 2015; the Good Governance Group’s country director of strategy in Nigeria
- (2014-present) Co-founder of the Bring Back Our Girls movement
- Kaduna State’s governor’s chief of staff from 2015 to 2016
- (2016–2021) Nigerian Ports Authority’s managing director
Significant Contributions:
- Co-founded the Bring Back Our Girls movement to support the release of kidnapped schoolgirls.
- argued in favor of giving the kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls by Boko Haram top priority.
- Talks arranged between Nigerian government representatives and the parents of the abducted girls
Served as the governor of Kaduna State’s chief of staff and oversaw the Nigerian Ports Authority controversy. - Her appointment as the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority was controversial; some questioned the reason for her nomination and her suitability for the position.