Ahmad Abdullahi is the immediate past Director of Banking Supervision in the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN). He retired from the CBN in February, 2020 after 30 years of service. He holds an M Sc in Banking and Finance and a B Sc in Agricultural Economics and is a member of a number of professional bodies including the Chartered Institute of Bankers, CIBN, The Institute of Directors of Nigeria, IoD, the Chartered Institute of Management, NIM , the Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional International, etc.

He is currently on the Board of the African Finance Corporation since 2017 and had served on the Board of FMDQ ( 2017-2020); Board of NDIC( 2018-2020); Board of AMCON( 2018-2020); Board of FITC ( 2017-2020) and Governing Council of CIBN(2017-2020).

Muhammad was one time the Managing Director and now a non-executive Director on the board of SunTrust Bank Nigeria Limited. Prior to this engagement, he was the Managing Director Midland Corporate Investments Ltd, a real Estate Development company. He previously held positions in Union Bank of Nigeria, Citigroup N.A, Barclays Bank UK, Bond Bank Ltd ( Now Polaris Bank) and Aso Savings and Loans Plc. He has also served as Non-Executive Director on the board of Premium Pensions Ltd. A company he co-founded as well as served as member of the Federal Housing Authority technical board.

Muhammad holds an M.Sc. in Risk Management from the New York University Stern School of Business and a Diploma in General Management from the Harvard Business School. He equally holds an MBA from the Imperial College, London and a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Management from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Abuja, Nigeria

Suleiman is a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA, U.K.), a Certified Capital Markets & Securities Analyst (CMSA) and an AAOIFI Certified Shari'a Advisor & Auditor (CSAA) with several years of experience in the Global Finance Industry. He has worked with leading organizations such as the Islamic Development Bank Group as a Senior Islamic Finance Expert under the President’s Complex, Deloitte (Big4) in Audit & Advisory and is currently a Central Bank of Nigeria approved, Advisory Committee of Experts (ACE) Board member at SunTrust Bank Non-Interest Window. He has multi-jurisdictional experience in Non-interest Banking & Capital Markets, Audit & Advisory, Finance Industry Regulations and Developmental Banking, with top qualifications from leading institutions such as, I.E. Business School, Madrid (MSc. Islamic Finance), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (MBA & BSc. Accounting) and Ethica Institute, U.A.E Certified Islamic Finance Executive – CIFE holding an award for the highest scoring graduate globally (93%).

He was among 13 successful finalists stringently selected from over 1,800 candidates in the world, to join the Industry-Gold-Standard "Islamic Finance Talent Development Program (IFTDP)" aimed at creating a pool of highly-talented Islamic Finance Executives capable of leading the Global Islamic Finance Industry (designed by Islamic Development Bank Group). He was awarded by the Federal Capital Territory – National Youth Service Corps (FCT-NYSC- Nigeria) for his significant contributions to community development.

MK Ahmad has over 40 years distinguished experience leading and working in various public and private sector organizations and financial services institutions in Nigeria. He was the pioneer Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) and oversaw the establishment and growth of the Pension industry in Nigeria. Ahmad had worked as a bank supervisor at the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and an IMF appointed bank supervisor at the Central Bank of Liberia.

Mr. Ahmad is the Chairman of the Boards of Polaris Bank, Credent Capital Advisory and the International Energy Insurance Plc. Ahmad is also the President and Chairman of Council of the Board of Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria.

Ahmad is an Independent Non-Executive Director of MTN Nigeria Plc and Flour Mills Nigeria Plc. He is also a member of the Governing Council of Pan Atlantic University. He serves on the LBS/SIDFS Grant Advisory Committee that seeks to promote financial inclusion in Nigeria being promoted by the CBN, Gates Foundation and LBS. Ahmad had served on the boards of FBN Holdings Plc and Fate Foundation. Ahmad is a member of Negotiation & Conflict Resolution Management Group (NCMG) Peace Award Panel of Judges (2017 to Date). He was a Member & Chairman Resource Mobilisation, FCT Ministerial Advisory Committee on CoVID-19 (2020).

Ahmad Chairs the Technical Committee of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) chaired by the Vice President of Nigeria. He chaired the Technical Committee on the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance constituted by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, that produced the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance 2018 which was approved by the Federal Executive Council.

While in active public service, Ahmad was a member of Presidential Committee on Identity Management (2006 – 2007), Presidential Committee on Public Sector Reforms, (2006 – 2007), Presidential Committee on the Consolidation of Emoluments in the public sector (2006), Ministerial Committee on Financing Mortgage (2010), Presidential Committee on Flood and Rehabilitation (2013 to date) and Presidential Initiative for the Northeast (PINE). (2014 to 2015). He also chaired the Ministerial Committee on Financing Real Sector of the Economy (2010) and Ministerial Committee on Financing Infrastructure (2010) by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

As part of his efforts to support and promote development planning at subnational levels, Mr. Ahmad chaired the Technical Committee that produced the North- East Transformation Strategy (NESTS), a medium-term Regional Development Strategy, for the sustainable socio-economic transformation and reconstruction of the Region, a strategy promoted by the six Governors of the constituent states of the region. He also assisted in the development of the Buhari Plan, which was initiated by the Federal Government of Nigeria to provide a framework for coordinating all initiatives and interventions by various actors for early recovery and sustainable development of the North East region. He also chaired the Transition Committee of the Governor of Gombe State in 2019. He coordinated the crafting of the Borno State 25-Year Development Plan which was launched in 2020. He currently supports the development of the Northeast Master Plan initiated by the Northeast Development Commission.

Ahmad consistently strives to institutionalize values of transparency, integrity and respect for rules and regulations. He strongly promotes building institutions based on the highest corporate ethical and governance standards. Ahmad lectures and leads discussions on Corporate Governance at various Corporate Boards and fora as part of his advocacy efforts to institutionalize strong corporate governance culture.

MK Ahmad holds a degree in Accounting from ABU Zaria and a PG Diploma (Innovation & Strategy) from the University of Oxford. Mr. Ahmad, who is from Gombe State, was honored with a national award of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

Mr Muhammad Wada Muazu Lere retired from the Central Bank of Nigeria as a Director/ Head Non interest banking in November, 2018. He obtained a Bsc (Hons) degree in Economics from the Bayero University, Kano Nigeria in 1984, Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria in 1998 and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Islamic Banking and Insurance from the Institute of Islamic Banking and Insurance, London in 2004 respectively.

He started his working career with the Planning Office of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Sokoto as a planning officer 11 in 1985, thereafter, moved to the Nigerian Mining Corporation Jos as a Marketing officer 1 in 1987. In 1989, he joined the services of the Central Bank of Nigeria as a Senior Supervisor and posted to the Agric Department (Now Development Finance Dept). In 1991 he was transferred to the Banking Supervision Department where he was involved in the Regulation and Supervision of banks and other financial institutions, development of circulars and guidelines, on-site and off-site supervision of financial institutions as well as licensing of banks and other financial institutions respectively. He was among the pioneer staff that initiated, developed and incorporated the non-interest banking principles (Islamic) into the regulatory arena of the Bank which culminated into the development of guidelines and policies as well as the licensing of the first institutions to operate on the non-interest banking principles.

In 2010, when the Financial Policy & Regulations Department was created from the Banking Supervision Department, he was moved to the new Department and was the Assistant Director in charge of other financial institutions namely Non-interest (Islamic) banking, Micro-finance banks, Bureau de Change and finance companies respectively. He spearheaded the Central Bank of Nigeria’s joining of the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), Malaysia as a full Council Member in 2009. The IFSB is a multilateral institution that sets regulatory and supervisory standards for Islamic Financial Institutions globally. He was opportuned to represent the Bank in some of its working groups and technical Committee that produces standards. (Central Banks, IMF, World Bank, IDB and BASLE Committee are all members of the IFSB). The Federal Government of Nigeria’s interest in sourcing for funds for infrastructural development, the Sukuk (Islamic Bonds) option was considered and he represented the Bank in a Committee set up by the Debt Management office to come up with a blue print for Sukuk issuance in Nigeria. The Committee developed the guidelines as well as the structures for Sukuk issuance which led to the issuance of three successful Sukuk used for the constructions and rehabilitation of major Federal roads.

Mr Muazu Lere attended several courses, seminars and workshops both in Nigeria and abroad. He is a member of the following International and Local Associations:

• Member, International Association of Islamic Economics, London (IAIE)
• Associate Fellow, Institute of Islamic Banking and Insurance, London (AFIIBI)
• Member, Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM)
• Member, Nigerian Economic Society (MNES)

Mr. Ahmed Almustapha is a lawyer and a seasoned technocrat. He graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with LLB (Hons. ) in 1978. He thereafter attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and after successful completion he was called to the Bar in 1979. Mr. Almustapha has held several positions in both public and private sectors. He was on a short attachment in Washington DC, USA with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ( FDIC), in 1993 when he joined the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC). Subsequently, he rose to be the Board Secretary/ Legal Adviser of NDIC in 2000. In 2001 he was appointed the Registrar General (RG) of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). It is common knowledge that, during his eight-year tenure, he transformed CAC into a modern, IT-driven organization. He initiated and completed the building of CAC’s seven-story Head Office building in the Maitama District of Abuja as well as its on-line services. He was at various times in the Board of many companies and agencies including the Board of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in an ex-officio capacity.

He has attended numerous courses in Management and Leadership at some of the most prestigious institutions, including Harvard University, USA, London Management School, Oxford Management Centre and INSEAD BUSINESS SCHOOL, Fontainebleau, France. Versatile in company administration and regulation, he is regarded by many as a standard-bearer in Corporate Governance in Nigeria. In 2006, he was conferred with national honours of the Officer of The Federal Republic ( OFR). He was also given the 2007 Servicom Achievement Award for Praise-worthy Star Service. In 2014, he received the “Distinguished Advocate of Good Governance Award” by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries And Administrators. An achiever, and a dynamic leader, Mr. Almustapha is gifted in leading with emotional intelligence. He is widely regarded as a champion of the core values of fidelity, fairness, honesty and integrity. In recognition of these virtues, he received the West Africa Business Integrity Award in 2005 by the Business Magazine and the Role Model Award for Ethical Standards in 2006 by Nigmuns

Musa joined the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN ) in June,1993 as a Senior Manager and retired from the Bank on 14th March 2014 as a Director, Trade and Exchange Department (TED ). He also served previously as Deputy Director, Foreign Exchange Management Division – Trade & Exchange Department. He worked previously with the Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry (NBCI) as Zonal Manager in charge of North East Zone and Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in the then Bauchi State. He holds a B.Sc. Economics from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and an MBA from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi.

Ahmed is a general manager at Vinco Innovations Nigeria Limited with vast experience in strategy, financial and risk management operations. He previously served as a business manager in Samjada Oil & Gas Ltd. He holds a B.sc (Business & Management) from the University of Buckingham

Mr. Mohammed Yola DATTI is a retired General Manager at the National Pension Commission (PenCom) and the pioneer Head of the Surveillance Department. In that capacity Mr. Datti was responsible for the licensing of all Pension Fund Administrators and Custodians as well as their monitoring on an on-going basis. Under his stewardship the Surveillance Department has given birth to an industry that is now a cornerstone of the Nigerian economy managing financial assets of over N9 trillion. Mr. Datti has been a regulator for most of his over 35 years professional career. He started his working career with the Kano State Office of the Auditor General, where he was exposed to the rudiments of Public Finance and Accounting before he joined the Central Bank of Nigeria. In the Central Bank, he rose to the rank of a Senior Bank Examiner before a brief sojourn with UBA Plc and Habib Nigeria Bank Limited where he served as Senior Manager and Financial Controller respectively.

In terms of qualifications, Mr. Datti is a chartered accountant and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and holds a degree in accounting and an MBA both from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He is also a Certified Director of the INSEAD Business School, Paris and has attended several leadership courses over the last two decades in top Business Schools in the USA such as Columbia University, Darden Business School, University of Virginia, Chicago Booth, University of Chicago and Kellog Business School, Northwestern University, Chicago. Mr Datti’s expertise is mainly in Financial Regulation and Supervision, Contributory Pension Scheme and its regulation and supervision, Financial Accounting, leadership programmes and global best practice in running a company’s Board and has been a facilitator for both CBN Bank Examiners and Pension Examiners Programmes at the Central Bank of Nigeria and the National Pension Commission as well as being a part time Director of Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) up to his retirement from Pencom

Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar is currently a deputy chairman and member of Financial Regulation Advisory Council of Experts of Central Bank of Nigeria (FRACE-CBN) and a member of Sharia committee at the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM), Islamic Development Bank Group and National Insurance Commission (NIACOM). Dr. Bashir was a former special advisor to the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria on Non-Interest Banking, a member of Technical Committee, Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) Malaysia, a Chairman of Working Group for the development of the IFSB Standard on Risk Management for Takaful Undertakings and on Guiding Principles for Retakaful Undertaking, and a Chairman of Technical Committee on Alternative Finance, a joint initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Securities and Exchange Commission, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and Debt Management Office.

Dr. Bashir holds a B.A in Hadith and Islamic Studies, M.A in Sciences of Hadith and Ph.D. in Sciences of Hadith from Islamic University of Madinah

Associate Professor Dr. Said Bouheraoua is currently a Senior Researcher and Director of Research Affairs Department at the International Shariah Research Academy for Islamic Finance and a lecturer at the Global University of Islamic Finance (INCEIF), Malaysia. He is the editor-in-chief of ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance; an Independent Board Member of Affin Islamic Bank; a member of the Board Audit Committee of Affin Group; a member of the Board Compliance Committee of Affin Group; a Shariah Advisory Board member of the Central Bank of Oman; Chairman of Affin Islamic Shariah committee; Chairman of Trust Bank Amana Surinam Shariah Committee; Shariah Advisory Board member of MNRB Takaful & Retakaful; Shariah Advisory Board member of ISRA Consultancy institute; and the Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Experts at Sun Trust Bank Nigeria Limited. Dr Said has published many books, and chapters in books as well as several articles in refereed journals. He has also presented several papers at international conferences including the International Fiqh Academy of the OIC and has conducted several trainings in Islamic banking and finance in Malaysia and abroad.

Prof. Abdul-Razzaq Abdul-Majeed Alaro, MCIArb is a Shariah expert, a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and an internationally certified arbitrator. His area of specialization is Islamic Financial Transactions, with emphasis on banking, insurance and capital market, and has published in reputable peer-reviewed journals across the world. Currently, he is Professor and Head of Department of Islamic Law, Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin; a member of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Advisory Council of Experts, and a member of the Advisory Council to the Nigerian National Insurance Commission. He also heads the Research and Translation committee of the Union of African Muslim Scholars, with headquarters in Bamako, Mali. Prof. Alaro is an alumnus of Islamic University of Madinah, Saudi-Arabia where he graduated with a 1st Class Degree in 1993, and was listed in 2017 as one of the most outstanding alumni of the university worldwide. He speaks and writes fluently in both Arabic and English

With over two decades of experience in the financial industry, Nura Gwadabe holds a Higher National Diploma and a Postgraduate Diploma from the School of Management Studies and Bayero University respectively, alongside a recent Master’s in Business Administration.
His journey commenced at the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2002. Encompassing roles in Monitoring and Investigation, Private Placement, Equities, Fixed income and finally, Registration and Exchanges Market Infrastructure and Innovation. Noteworthy achievements include spearheading inspection both off-site and on-site, vetting offer documents and contributing to committee assignment. His expertise extends to international collaboration, as evidenced by commendations for dual listing of Seplat Petroleum Development Company shares on the Nigerian stock exchange and London Stock Exchange.

Umaru Mohammed holds a Bachelor of Law Degree (LL.B) Hons obtained from University of Maiduguri. He attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1998. He did the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the defunct Legal Unit (now Legal Department) of the Central Bank of Nigeria from 1998 – 1999. After his NYSC, He went into private Legal practice and thereafter joined the services of the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2002. While at SEC, He worked in Five (5) Divisions of the Legal Department, namely, the APD, LS, Board Affairs/ Secretariat Services and in the Rules Making Division. On December 31, 2021, He voluntarily retired from the services of the SEC under the voluntary retirement scheme of the Commission to pursue other areas of interest.

Mr. Dahiru Hashimu H-adama is an accomplished professional in the field of finance and strategy. He is also highly knowledgeable in trading stocks and FX. Mr. Dahiru's qualifications include graduating with first-class honors in accounting from MAU Yola and being a chartered accountant certified by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).