Press Release: Daily Trust reconstitutes Board of Economists

In furtherance of its strong commitment to advancing good governance and nation building through ethical journalism, the Media Trust Group, owners of Daily Trust, Trust TV and Trust Radio, has announced the reconstitution of the Daily Trust’s Board of Economists with the appointment of new members.

Composed of seasoned academics and highly accomplished professionals in the field of economics, the Board provides robust insights and forecasts through periodic analyses of national and global economic trends that help shape decision-making, especially by national and sub-national governments in Nigeria.

The reconstituted Board is to be chaired by Dr. Shehu Yahaya (OON), pioneer Chairman of the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and erstwhile member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council. Dr. Vincent Nwanma, an award-winning journalist and financial sector analyst will serve as the Secretary of the Board. Other board members are Prof. Binta Tijjani Jibril, Prof. Aliyu Sanusi Rafindadi, Prof. Saada Abba Abdullahi, Prof. Muhammed Mutakka Usman, Dr. Rislanudeen Muhammad, Dr. Mahmud Hassan, Mr. Aliyu Ahmed and Mr. Mukhtar Mujahid Shamwil.

A statement signed by Ahmed I. Shekarau, Chief Executive Officer of the Media Trust Group announced that the reconstituted Board will be inaugurated on Saturday, 30th August, 2025, at the Corporate Headquarters of the multimedia company in Abuja.

The Board, according to the statement, is expected to, among others, meet every three months to review global and national economic trends and provide insights on various subject areas of public interest. Such interventions are made public in communiqués with a view to shaping public policy at various levels of government, as well as in the private sector.

As credible, well-versed experts, the Board members are also to regularly provide informed perspectives on recurring economic matters and their implications for publication and broadcast across the company’s multimedia platforms.

The Board is also occasionally convened to conduct research, advise on policies, and help interpret the economic implications of decisions and happenings in the economic sphere. Findings of such research are made public.

The appointment of the Board members is in recognition of their expertise and distinguished contributions to the field of economics, as well as their various ingenious initiatives, which have positively impacted Nigeria’s economic landscape. “We strongly believe that their membership will significantly enhance our company’s mission and vision for a better Nigeria, and the African continent”, said Shekarau.

Meet the Board members:

Shehu Yahaya (Chairman): A thoroughbred economist with corporate experience spanning over three decades, Dr. Yahaya was the chairman of the Development Bank of Nigeria and served as the Executive Director and Dean of the Board of Directors, African Development Bank (AfDB). He also chaired the Board Committee on Development Effectiveness, which provides leadership and guidance on policies and strategies of the Bank. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Economic Society and a scholar with teaching and research experience at Bayero University, Kano (BUK) and Sussex University, UK.

Vincent Nwanma (Secretary): He holds a first degree in economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and later obtained a Certificate in Economics and Business Journalism and a Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia University, New York as a World Bank Scholar and Knight-Bagehot Fellow. He holds a PhD in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos and has authored several books. Dr. Nwanma has worked with leading global and regional outlets, including BusinessDay, Daily Trust, Dow Jones Newswires, Bloomberg News, BBC World Service, Global Finance Magazine, The Africa Report, and Inter Press Service.

Binta Tijjani Jibril, FCIB: She is a Professor of Economics of Bayero University Kano (BUK) and the immediate past Director of the International Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance at the same institution. She holds the record of being the first student to obtain a first-class degree in the department of Economics, Bayero University Kano. Prof. Jibril is Chevening scholar and obtained her master’s degree in Quantitative Development Economics (QDE) from Warwick University, United Kingdom; and a PhD in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. She is also a holder of a post-graduate certificate in Islamic Banking and Finance from the famous Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia (IBFIM). She is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (FCIB) as well as a CBN certified financial literacy trainer. Professor Binta is the immediate past Chair of the Daily Trust Board of Economists and is currently serving as a Directing Staff at the famous National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru – Jos.

Muhammed Mutakka Usman: He is a Professor of Development Economics at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with nearly three decades of experience in teaching and research. He has over 45 journal publications to his credit, with research interests straddling international economics, financial economics, trade and investment. He has also consulted extensively for both local and international organisations, including the British Council, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the European Union (EU), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Department for International Development (DFID), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the National Planning Commission. He has been a member of the Board of Economists of Daily Trust since 2018.

Saada Abba Abdullahi: A Professor of Agricultural Economics, she began her academic career at Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, formerly Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST), Wudil. She joined Baze University, Abuja, in 2016 and is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences at the institution. She has more than 40 publications in both local and international journals, and has participated in various conferences, workshops, and seminars. She has been serving as a member of the Daily Trust’s Board of Economists since April 2020.

Sanusi Aliyu Rafindadi: A Professor of Economics at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, bagged his BSc and MSc in Economics at the University before proceeding to Lancaster University in UK where he bagged another Master Degree in International Business and PhD in Economics respectively. He is a renowned Economist with extensive experience in economic policy analysis and research. He was a member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); a one-time Special Assistant to the Chief Economic Adviser to the President and member, Governing Council of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES).

Mahmud Hassan: A renowned economist with over 30 years of experience in financial sector regulation, policy research, and public service. He was the Director of the Trade and Exchange Department and the Monetary Policy Department at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Dr. Hassan bagged a BSc in Economics and MBA (Finance) from ABU, an MSc in Energy Economics and Policy from the University of Surrey, UK, and a PhD in Economics from the same institution. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), and the Nigeria Association for Energy Economics, and has about 15 publications to his credit.

Rislanudeen Muhammad: Has extensive exposure in investment, commercial, retail and development banking, as well as public service. A serving member of Daily Trust’s Board of Economists since 2018, Dr. Muhammad has garnered three decades of active experience working in the Kano State Budget & Economic Planning Directorate, Centre Point Merchant Bank Limited, and Tropical Commercial Bank Limited, where he rose through the ranks to become the Acting MD/CEO in 2005. He was Acting MD/CEO of Unity Bank Plc and until recently, the Chief Economist and Head, Strategy and Research Division in the Bank of Industry, Lagos.

Aliyu Ahmed (NPOM, OON): He was a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance and Special Duties. He was Director of the International Economic Relations Department of the ministry, having earlier served as a Senior Advisor to the Executive Director responsible for Angola, Nigeria and South Africa at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC, USA. He has sat on the Boards of Africa Export Import Bank, Cairo, Egypt; OPEC Fund for International Development, Vienna, Austria; Central Bank of Nigeria; Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited; Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria; and Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI).

Mukhtar Mujahid Shamwil: Holds a CORe in Financial Accounting and Business Analytics from Harvard Business School. An expert in financial strategy, international finance, financial technology, and corporate valuation, Mukhtar is a geopolitical strategist. He was Special Adviser to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on Financial Policies and Strategy and the pioneer Head of the Cryptography and Cyber-monitoring Unit (CCU), Department of Force Intelligence (DFI), overseeing multiple investigation activities across Nigeria’s banking, cyber and digital space. He is the founder of several startups, including Zinary Identica, an AI-based identity management and early fraud detection fintech firm.

Signed:

Ahmed Ibrahim Shekarau,
Group Chief Executive Officer.