As a young man growing up, back then in the ancient city of Ibadan, under the tutelage of my guardians, yours sincerely was treated to the fact that ‘women are second fiddle in this part of the world. They had the obligation of fulfilling their husband’s bidding and live for the family. Pursuit of University education was not the in-thing for womenfolk back then. However, this narrative has taken a drastic change today; women are being placed in leadership positions, after a thorough professional career in the University.
Well, Hajiya Saratu Umar, the newly appointed Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission is one of these convincing examples. She is a one-time Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC). Prior to this, she had spent over 20(twenty) years in development banking at the Nigeria Export-Import Bank where she joined in 1992 as a pioneer staff and traversed as well as headed almost all strategic and key departments of the Bank.
Few days back, President Muhammadu Buhari approved her appointment as the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) for another term of five years. This is probably because she had satisfied all necessary prerequisites for a reappointment.
She was first appointed to the position in July, 2014 with immediate effect.
While growing up, I hardly knew the functions of some government agencies, one of them is the NIPC. NIPC is a life-line for the Federal government, whose contributions to governance could either make or mar any government in power. NIPC’s role is designed to proactively promote Nigeria as an investment haven, and to stimulate foreign direct investments, as FDI’s aid a Nation’s development.
The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) is a specialized agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, established through the Nigerian Investment Promotion Act Chapter N117 of 2004. It is aimed at encouraging, promoting and coordinating all investments in Nigeria.The Federal Government of Nigeria, has tasked the investment promotion agency with attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) over the years
Therefore it is pertinent to put in its saddle, someone with a huge deposit of integrity.
Hajiya Saratu Umar holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the Ahmadu Bello University and an MBA in Finance and Banking. She is trained locally and internationally in all core aspects of her career, as well as in leadership, strategy, general management, risk management and corporate governance.
“Saratu Umar is a technocrat, reformer, strategist, economist, investment promotion expert, export development specialist, with experience in banking and finance, investment and consulting segments of the public and private sectors of Nigeria”, a statement from the Presidency read.
In the short period of her service as Executive Secretary, she transformed the NIPC into a world-class investment agency and minimized revenue leakages, saving the country N500 billion, for which she received a commendation from the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMFC.
Her little contributions to Nigeria’s sociocultural emancipation are immeasurable and outstanding.
Saratu is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aisston Consulting Limited, a business and management consulting firm based in Abuja Nigeria. She is currently a member of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s N50B Export Expansion Facility Programme of its Economic Sustainability Plan chaired by the Vice-President of Nigeria, where she chairs the Institutional Strengthening sub-committee and is also a member/Acting Chairperson of the Export Inclusion sub-committee.
Saratu is a Fellow of the American Academy of Financial Management (FAAFM); a Fellow, Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC); a certified Chartered Wealth Manager [CWM]; a Certified Risk and Compliance Management Professional (CRCMP); a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Economists (FCE); a senior Associate of the Risk Management Association of Nigeria; a holder of the Fiduciary Awareness Certification for Corporate Governance System by the Nigerian Stock Exchange; and a senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria amongst others. She is also a recipient of local and international awards, amongst them, the International Distinguished Leadership Award.
She has graciously served in many capacities, including chairmanship and membership of numerous technical committees, amongst them, as Member and Secretary of the Nigerian President’s Honorary International Investor Council (HIIC) which was chaired by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and vice-chaired by the Vice President of Nigeria. She has worked on various projects with a number of world-class management consulting firms aimed at system reforms and corporate re-engineering/restructuring or transformation.
She was previously on the Board of the Transcorp Hotels Plc where she served as an Independent Board member as well as a member of its Statutory Audit Committee.
Olamide Adeniji is a member of the editorial team of TheScript Newspapers
