Bagudu Abubakar Atiku

Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (born 26 December 1961) is a Nigerian politician who is the Nigerian Minister of Budget and Economic Planning. He served as governor of Kebbi State from 2015 to 2023 and previously as the senator representing the Kebbi Central senatorial district from 2009 to 2015.

He is from a wealthy family, his father was the director of Primary education in Kebbi State. He obtained a BSc (Economics) degree from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, an MSc (Economics) from the University of Jos, and an M.A. (International Affairs). He is married to Zainab Bagudu.

In 2009, Bagudu succeeded Adamu Aliero in a by-election for the Kebbi Central Senatorial seat after Aliero’s appointment as Minister for FCT by President Goodluck Jonathan. In the 2011 elections, he won for the PDP with 173,595 votes.

During the 2015 general elections, Atiku Bagudu switched from the ruling PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and won a landslide in the gubernatorial election, polling 673,717 votes against rival Sen. Isah Galaudu’s 106,633 votes.

He lost the 2023 Kebbi Central Senatorial election to PDP incumbent Adamu Aliero, who previously moved from the APC after losing the primaries. Bagudu was appointed Minister of Budget and Economic Planning by President Bola Tinubu on 16 August 2023.

Upon assuming office, he immediately tackled Kebbi State’s poor management, including over 1.2 million out-of-school children, jobless youths, and collapsing local governments. His administration prioritized recovery of lost government properties and streamlining the civil service by identifying ghost workers.

The Atiku Bagudu administration introduced the Treasury Single Account (TSA) in Kebbi State. It revamped healthcare infrastructure, constructing, renovating, and equipping 230 primary healthcare centers, rehabilitating 24 PHCs, and upgrading hospitals like Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital.

His administration built over 200 km of roads, including urban and rural projects like Bayan Oando, Unguwan Zabarmawa, and Jega Township. It rehabilitated roundabouts, bridges, and drainage systems, and launched initiatives like the Eatsafe food safety program with USAID.

Under his eight-year tenure, Atiku Bagudu focused on education, increasing budgetary allocations, paying scholarships, and upgrading institutions like Adamu Augie College of Education and Kebbi State College of Nursing Science. He also facilitated foreign training for 262 students.

Agriculture was a key priority, establishing a tomatoes paste factory, partnering with Dangote and NNPC, and launching the Anchor Borrowers Programme. The government mobilized over 70,000 farmers, produced 3 million metric tons of rice, and distributed farming tools like tractors and ox-drawn ploughs.

Security was another priority, establishing a Tenancy Regulatory Commission and providing vehicles/logistics for security personnel. His ministry of Budget and Economic Planning coordinated the NG-CARES program, creating jobs and reducing poverty across Nigeria.

In 2023, Bagudu led the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in overseeing the 2025 budget, allocating 4.06 trillion naira for infrastructure projects, including the Abuja-Kaduna railway and Lagos-Ibadan rail line. He emphasized economic recovery, jobs creation, and anti-corruption measures.