Salisu Shuaib Afolabi
Salisu Shuaib Afolabi is a Nigerian politician from Ogun. They have contested 1 election (1 win) across 1 party. Most recent: 2023 Nigerian Senate Elections as All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.
Biography
Shuaib Afolabi Salisu is a Nigerian senator for Ogun Central constituency of Ogun State since 2023. He previously served as the Chief of Staff to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state from 2019 to 2023.
Salisu was elected to the National Senate for the Ogun West constituency in 2023, pulling a total of 96,759 votes to defeat his closest rival, Olumide Aderinokun of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), who pulled 52,440 votes.
Since 2023, he has been the Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT & Cyber Security and Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity.
In March 2025, Senator Salisu emerged as the principal figure behind the Nigerian Senate's attempt to halt the proposed acquisition of Lafarge Africa Plc by China's Huaxin Cement Co. The Senate, acting on his sponsored motion, directed the Bureau of Public Procurement to suspend the US$1 billion transaction, citing concerns over national security and economic sovereignty.
The Senate's sudden alarm came despite Lafarge Africa having been majority-owned by Swiss multinational Holcim AG since 2015, which merged with Lafarge and rebranded as Holcim Group in 2021. Critics noted the inconsistency in raising national security concerns now, when past foreign ownership had not attracted similar scrutiny.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South) warned against converting the Senate into a 'sales Senate' and undermining regulatory authorities, while Senator Binos Yaroe (PDP, Adamawa Central) cautioned against negative signals to foreign investors, emphasizing Nigeria's need for capital inflows.
Observers suggested the opposition may have been influenced by entrenched domestic competitors wary of Huaxin's market entry. Huaxin, unlike the passive Holcim, has been rapidly expanding across Africa and is seen as a potential disruptor in Nigeria’s cement industry, dominated by local giants like Dangote Cement and BUA Cement.
Senator Salisu’s state of Ogun is home to the largest cement plant of Dangote Cement.
Political Career
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Technology & Digital
Supports the development of MSMEs through partnerships with fintech players to expand access to capital and business development services.
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.