Usman Hadiza

Hadiza Bala Usman (born 2 January 1976) is a Nigerian politician who served as managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority from 2016 to 2021. She previously served as the chief of staff to the governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2016.

She was appointed special adviser on Policy and Coordination Central Delivery Coordination Unit (CDCU) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June 2023, alongside Hannatu Musawa, who is currently serving as minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy of Nigeria.

Since 2014, Usman has been one of the co-founders of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign and is also a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Born on 2 January 1976 in Zaria, Usman comes from a Fulani ruling class family of the Sullubawa clan. Her father, Yusufu Bala Usman, grandson of Sarkin Katsina Muhammadu Katsina Dikko, was a prominent academic and historian who founded the Centre for Democratic Development, Research and Training in Zaria.

Her great-grandfather, Abdullahi Bayero, was the 10th Emir of Kano from 1926 to 1953. Her paternal grandfather was the Durbin Katsina, her grand uncle was Usman Nagogo, Emir of Katsina, and her great-grandfather was Sarkin Katsina Muhammadu Dikko (father to her paternal grandfather).

Usman grew up on the campus of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, where her father worked. She started her education at the university staff primary school and completed her secondary education. In 1996, she enrolled at the university and received a bachelor's degree in business administration in 2000.

She received a master's degree in development studies from the University of Leeds in 2009. In 1999, she spent a year at the Centre for Democratic Development and Research Training in Zaria as a research assistant.

From July 2000 to August 2004, she worked at the Bureau of Public Enterprises as an enterprise officer. From October 2004 to January 2008, she was a special assistant to the Minister on project implementation for the Federal Capital Territory Administration under UNDP.

In 2011, Usman campaigned and lost for the federal constituency of Musawa/Matazu as a candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change. She then joined the Good Governance Group in Nigeria, serving as country director of strategy from 2011 to July 2015.

In 2014, Usman co-founded the Bring Back Our Girls campaign to advocate for the rescue of abducted schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram. She chose the color red for the campaign, representing alarm and danger.

She helped coordinate meetings with parents of the kidnapped girls and Nigerian government officials. Usman continued to protest with the group into 2016.

In 2015, Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai appointed her as Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kaduna State, making her the first female to hold that position.

She was appointed managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in July 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari. Her appointment sparked controversy, with critics questioning her qualifications and alleging ethnic bias.

On May 6, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari suspended her as managing director of NPA after a public altercation with then Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi. She was reappointed for a second term before her suspension.

As the Deputy Director-General Administration of the Tinubu/Shettima APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2023 presidential election, she published her book, Stepping on Toes: My Odyssey at Nigerian Ports Authority, in April 2023.

In June 2023, she was appointed Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination. She was previously married to economic analyst Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, who served under President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, and now married to Shehu Dikko, the chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) in Nigeria.

Usman has been recognized for her achievements, including being named one of 'Under 50 Leaders in Public Service' in 2021, where she received the outstanding female executive in public service (Maritime) award.