Buba Yusuf Yakub

Buba Yusuf Yakub is a Nigerian politician who contested the 2023 House of Representative Elections as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Adamawa.

Biography

Yusuf Buba Yakub (born 13 August 1968) is a Nigerian politician and the current Director General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps since 2023. He was previously a member of the House of Representatives (Nigeria) representing the Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency of Adamawa State from 2015 to 2023.

Early life and education

Yakub hails from Garaha in Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State, Nigeria. He was born in Kaduna, Kaduna State, and attended Army Children's School in 1979. From Kaduna, he moved to Maiha, Adamawa State, and attended Government Secondary School, Maiha.

He later enrolled into the College of Preliminary Studies in Yola and the College for Legal Studies, where he obtained a Diploma in Law. He completed degree programmes: Advanced Diploma in Business Administration at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi and Bachelor of Science in Political Science, University of Abuja, FCT. He also possess a Certificate in Governance and Anti-Corruption at the International Law Institute Washington DC, US.

Political career

Yakub was elected to the Nigerian House of Representatives in 2015 representing the Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency of Adamawa State and appointed chairman, House Committee on Nigeria-China Relations. Throughout his tenure in office, he supported the China-Nigeria Agriculture Modernization Forum in 2017. He was re-elected in 2019 and served for two terms.

He was a major contender for the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2019, where he ran alongside Femi Gbajabiamila.

He was appointed Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs at the 9th Assembly of the House of Representatives. He was instrumental to the advancement of peaceful diplomatic ties between Nigeria and Ghana when a major international crisis almost broke out due to a number of activities that stood against the peaceful ties between both countries, one of which was the demolition of the Nigerian High Commission Property in Accra Ghana in 2020. His leadership contributed to a peaceful resolution of the crises.

During the second term of Yakub at the House of Representatives as Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, he introduced several reforms in the Ministry headquarters and the Nigerian Missions abroad in appropriating budget expenditure, with oversight function on budgetary expenditure.

Director General, Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria. 22 August 2023 - Till Date.

Member, House of Representatives 2015 - 2023;

Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Nigeria 2019 - 2023;

Chairman, House Committee on Nigeria — China Relations, House of Representatives, Nigeria 2016 - 2019;

Chairman, House of Representatives AD HOC Committee on Dapchi School Girls' kidnap 2017;

Chairman, House of Representatives AD HOC Committee to Inquire and Determine Why the Eastern Port Complexes are not Being Put to Maximal Use, 2019.

Chairman, Sub-Committee on Economic Development, Presidential Committee on Northeast Initiative (PCNI) 2016 - 2018.

National Chairman, Advanced Congress of Democrats (Political Party) 2008 - 2014.

Local Government Treasurer, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State 1992 - 1993.

State Organizing Secretary, United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), Adamawa State, 1996 - 1998.

Member, National Accreditation Committee, People's Democratic Party (PDP) 1999.

National Treasurer, Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) 2005 - 2006.

Chairman, Technical Committee, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) 2011 - 2014.

National Ex-Officio Member, Action AC, A Political Party) 2006 - 2008.

Member, National Executive Committee, All Progressives Congress (APC).

On the 22nd of August 2023, Yakub was appointed as the Director General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (also Known as the Directorate of Technical Aid Corps), an agency in the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria, by the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Family life

He married Nancy Buba, in 1992. They have three children.

Award

The Centre for Ethics and Value Orientation, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) confers award of 'Ethical Excellence' on Yusuf Buba Yakub, member of the House of Representatives (Nigeria)

Professional Fellowship Doctorate award of the Institute of the Chartered Economists of Nigeria (ICEN)

Political party

Yakub is a member of the Nigerian Ruling Party, All Progressives Congress (APC)

Party Positions

Policy positions from the All Progressives Congress (APC) party manifesto.

Agriculture

Launches the Irrigate Nigeria Project as a public-private partnership to develop small-scale irrigation and water catchment systems using modern technology to boost agricultural productivity.

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Security & Defense

Will deploy modern aerial surveillance and advanced technology to monitor and deter intrusions into oil pipelines, power stations, and other critical national infrastructure in real time.

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Environment & Climate

Accelerates the environmental cleanup and re-establishment of fisheries and profitable aquacultural activities in the Niger-Delta region to counter violent extremism and poverty-driven disaffection.

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Economy & Trade

Will implement the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and additional favorable policies to attract investment in deep-water assets within 6 months, including encouraging signature bonus negotiations and royalty reliefs.

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Infrastructure

Creates regional industrial hubs in specific zones (North West, North East, South East, South South, South West, North Central) to focus on labor-intensive manufacturing, with tailored investments (e.g., textiles, dry ports, glass, pottery, solid minerals, regulated mining).

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Enterprise grant support

Work with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to simplify loan processes for commercial banks, mandate federally owned banks to provide low-cost loans to youth-led enterprises, and expand business incubation centers to support youth innovation.

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Energy

Will mandate gas metering equipment on all facilities where gas flaring occurs within 6 months and establish a special enforcement unit to monitor compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) on gas flaring reduction, with non-compliance leading to financial penalties for affected communities.

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Governance & Reform

Reserve at least 3 cabinet positions for individuals under 40 and 6 more positions for members under the age of 40, and mandate that at least 20% of political appointments to Ministries/Dangomas (MDAs) be reserved for individuals under 40.

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Education

Raises the priority of addressing out-of-school children, establishes a task force to review and strengthen programs like school feeding, and aims to reduce disaffected youth recruitment by violent groups.

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Healthcare

Will establish a network of upgraded, equipped, and staffed general hospitals in every Local Government Area, tertiary facilities in each State, and world-class specialist hospitals in each geo-political zone to improve healthcare accessibility and quality.

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Technology & Digital

Supports the development of MSMEs through partnerships with fintech players to expand access to capital and business development services.

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Reliefs and scholarships

Commits to a conditional income support program requiring recipients to meet human capital goals (school attendance, healthcare, nutrition) in exchange for payments.

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