President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Muhammad Babangida, the son of former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, as the new Chairman of the revitalised Bank of Agriculture (BOA).
The announcement was made in a statement released on Friday in Abuja by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr. Bayo Onanuga. Babangida, aged 53, is expected to bring a blend of business acumen and international exposure to the bank’s leadership.
Muhammad Babangida holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Public Relations, both from European University, Montreux, Switzerland. He further enhanced his expertise in leadership and governance by completing the Executive Programme in Corporate Governance at the Harvard Business School in 2002.
The Bank of Agriculture, which plays a critical role in agricultural financing and rural development, is undergoing a revitalisation process aimed at boosting food security and supporting Nigeria’s economic diversification goals.
In addition to Babangida’s appointment, President Tinubu approved eight more high-profile appointments into the leadership of key federal institutions:
- Lydia Kalat Musa (Kaduna State) – Chairman, Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA)
- Jamilu Aliyu (Kano State) – Chairman, National Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC)
- Yahuza Inuwa (Kano State) – Chairman, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)
- Sanusi Musa, SAN (Kano State) – Chairman, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR)
- Prof. Al-Mustapha Aliyu (Sokoto State) – Director-General, Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA)
- Sanusi Rikiji (Zamfara State) – Head, Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN)
- Mrs. Tomi Somefun (Oyo State) – Managing Director, National Hydro-Electric Power Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC)
- Dr. Abdulmumini Aminu-Zaria (Kaduna State) – Executive Director, Nigerian Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC)
These appointments reflect President Tinubu’s commitment to repositioning strategic institutions with capable professionals across various sectors. The appointees are expected to play key roles in implementing the federal government’s reform agenda across agriculture, trade, energy, water management, education, and peacebuilding.