Lawal Dauda

Dauda Lawal, born on 2 September 1965, is a Nigerian banker and politician who has served as the governor of Zamfara State since his election in 2023.

He holds a B.Sc. in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University (1987) and advanced degrees in Political Science/International Relations (M.Sc., 1992) and Business Administration (PhD, from Usmanu Danfodiyo University).

His professional career began in 1989 as a political education officer with the Agency for Mass Mobilization for Social and Economic Reliance Nigeria, later transitioning into roles at Westex Nigeria Limited and diplomatic service as an assistant consular officer and chief protocol officer at the Embassy of Nigeria, Washington, D.C.

Since 2003, he has worked extensively in banking, rising through the ranks of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, including positions such as relationship manager, senior manager, executive vice president, and executive director of Public Sector North. His tenure included leadership in commercial banking, business development, and public sector management.

Lawal first ran for governor in 2018 as an APC candidate but lost to Mukhtar Shehu Idris. He later aligned with the PDP, winning the party’s primary in 2022 and being nominated as its flag bearer for the 2023 gubernatorial elections.

In March 2023, he defeated incumbent Bello Matawalle of the APC, winning 377,726 votes to become Zamfara’s governor. Matawalle, who had previously served as a PDP candidate before defecting to APC in 2021, was declared the winner by INEC after a Supreme Court ruling on APC nomination irregularities.

During his first year in office, Lawal oversaw projects in Bakura, Aradun, Gummi, Bukkuyum, and Maru Local Government Areas. His tenure has also faced scrutiny over allegations of corruption, including a $40 million fund traced to his former role at First Bank, prompting calls for investigations by anti-corruption groups like the Nigeria Public Transparency Initiative Group.

His professional accolades include the FirstBank CEO Merit Award for Outstanding Performance (2006) and the Distinguished Award for Project Innovation at the Nigeria Excellence in Public Service (NEAPS) awards (2024).