Judul : Hadiza Bala Usman - A Daughter's Rise in Public Service
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Hadiza Bala Usman - A Daughter's Rise in Public Service
Hadiza Bala Usman emerged from a rare family background that combined intellectual resistance with a commitment to public service. As the daughter of the late historian and political activist Dr Yusufu Bala Usman, she has become a symbol of a distinct form of radicalism: one based not on unrest, but on structures, implementation, and change.
Her father, an energetic scholar from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, was part of the People's Redemption Party (PRP), led by Aminu Kano, during Nigeria's Second Republic. His involvement was both intellectual and determined. He opposed traditional views, established the Centre for Democratic Development and Research Training (CDD), and created a legacy of strong opposition.
Hadiza carried on that legacy. However, while her father struggled from the ivory tower, she battles from inside the government system.
Hadiza was born on January 2, 1976, in Zaria, and comes from the royal lineage of Katsina and Kano; her great-grandfather was Sarkin Katsina Muhammadu Dikko. She pursued Business Administration at Ahmadu Bello University and subsequently obtained a Master's degree in Development Studies from the University of Leeds in 2009.
Her initial professional journey included roles at the Bureau of Public Enterprises and the Federal Capital Territory Administration, where she was involved in a UNDP initiative focused on infrastructure development. This experience enhanced her abilities in policy creation and governance improvement.
In 2015, she created history by becoming the first woman to serve as chief of staff to a state governor in Nigeria, under Nasir El-Rufai in Kaduna State. During her tenure, she played a key role in establishing reform mechanisms like the Single Treasury Account (TSA) and zero-based budgeting, while also enhancing human capital structures within various ministries. "My job was focused on turning vision into action," she remembers.
Her next phase began at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), where she held the position of Managing Director from 2016 to 2021. During her time there, she implemented stricter financial oversight, initiatives aimed at addressing revenue losses, and introduced contracts based on performance. This was a challenging and contentious period, which she later documented in her 2023 autobiography, Stepping on Toes: My Odyssey at the Nigerian Ports Authority, released by TheCable Books.
In June 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu named her as Special Adviser for Policy and Coordination, leading the Central Delivery Coordination Unit (CDCU). The office's objective is straightforward: harmonize governmental goals, monitor ministerial progress, and achieve tangible outcomes.
Hadiza refers to it as "a total change in leadership approach." Her group creates performance evaluation forms for ministers, establishes important performance metrics (KPIs), and makes sure that each ministry's objectives align with the requirements of the public.
For the first time in Nigeria's history, the CDCU has launched a Citizens' Delivery Tracker, an online platform allowing Nigerians to view the responsibilities of each ministry and track developments as they happen. "It brings transparency and accountability to the core of governance," she states. "Any citizen can now ask: what has my minister accomplished?"
Within various departments, her team has emerged as the driving force behind achievements. In the field of education, it is facilitating the reformation of the policy for Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) to enhance the link between training and job readiness. In agriculture, it is overseeing initiatives to create a national database of farmers, boost mechanization, and reduce post-harvest losses via focused actions.
Her workplace also has an indirect role in tackling security issues that affect food production, connecting agricultural changes with secure access to farmlands. In the Niger Delta, the team has assisted in bringing together the Nigerian Navy, the office of the National Security Adviser, and oil industry regulators to safeguard energy facilities from acts of sabotage.
These changes, she claims, are not just technical lists; they form a key part of restoring the culture of implementation. "Governance should focus on results, not commitments," she states. "This is the culture we are embedding."
Hadiza's approach to public service is influenced equally by her background and her time in government. Her late father instilled in her the belief that ideas are insignificant without organization. "I have been involved in the governance process for more than two decades, at both the federal and state levels," she states. "I know how systems can fail, and what needs to be done for them to work effectively."
For her, openness and data represent the latest form of activism. "We have pinpointed obstacles such as the failure to release funds that hinder progress. When this occurs, we hold parties responsible, including the Ministry of Finance if it is the source of the problem."
That emphasis on organization, she feels, is what Nigeria requires the most, a move from spontaneous approaches to established systems.
Hadiza envisions a Nigeria based on self-reliance and inclusivity. "A country that can feed its own people, that is secure, efficient, and sending skilled individuals to the global stage," she states. "We possess the population, the innovation, and the strength. What we require are effective systems."
However, she also advocates for a new generation of reform-oriented Nigerians in public positions. "The government's role is to establish an enabling environment, not to hire everyone," she states. "We need more young individuals who view entrepreneurship as a form of service, and service as a type of leadership."
Her statement is straightforward yet impactful: honesty, skill, and responsibility should emerge as Nigeria's new societal agreement.
Hadiza Bala Usman is currently at the crossroads of activism and governance, of change and perseverance. The daughter of a radical has matured, not as a demonstrator on the periphery of power, but as an agent of transformation from within. And in a nation still seeking effective leadership, that could be the most revolutionary action of all.
Copyright 2025 Leadership. All rights reserved. Published by AllAfrica Global Media (okay1).
Tagged: Nigeria, West Africa
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