Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed is a Nigerian accountant. She is the current Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning appointed on August 21, 2019 as President Muhammadu Buhari brought the two ministries under her as one, making her the de facto Minister of Economy. Upon the resignation of the erstwhile Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun on September 14, 2018, Zainab Ahmed was appointed as Finance Minister in September 2018. In 2015, she was appointed as the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Early life and education
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. She got her first degree in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981, after-which she proceeded to Olabisi Onabanjo University for her MBA. Ahmed’s MBA was obtained in August 2004 from the Ogun State University, Ago Iwoye; while her BSc Accounting was from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; IJMB ‘A’ Levels from SBS/ABU Zaria; and WASC ‘O’ Level in 1977 from Queen Amina College, Kaduna.
Career
Zainab Shamsuna is the current Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Zainab Shamsuna was the immediate past executive secretary and national coordinator of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. She was also a member of the last two NEITI boards, having worked in the NEITI and global EITI. An accountant by profession with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from ABU Zaria and a Master’s in Business Administration, Ahmed, in her biography, says she has “extensive knowledge and diverse experience in public sector reform and management.” 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. 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. Zainab was reappointed and sworn in as the Minister of Finance on the 21st of August 2019 by the President
