Sophia Michaels
On Wednesday, the Nigerian Senate confirmed the appointment of Halima Shehu as the new National Coordinator, National Social Investment Programme Agency.
Shehu, alongside Mr. Ola Olukoyede and Muhammad Hammajoda, was confirmed by the legislators in Abuja.
The two men were appointed as the chairman and secretary, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, respectively.
In this piece, PUNCH Online highlights 11 things you should know about Shehu:
1. Born in Kafin Dagi village, Katsina, Katsina State, Shehu had her First School Leaving Certificate.
2. Shehu attended the Federal Government College, Kaduna State, for her secondary school education where she obtained her West African Examination Certificate.
3. She proceeded to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, for a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language.
4. Proceeding further, Shehu earned a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from ABU, Zaria.
5. After her education, she completed the mandatory National Youth Service Corps at the Afri-Project Consortium under the Petroleum Trust Fund
6. After her NYSC, Shehu began her 10-year banking career during which she worked at the former Intercity Bank, before proceeding to Unity and Access Banks
7. Shehu is a well-trained professional in financial transactions as she worked as the head of several banking units, including the cash, funds transfer, clearing, reconciliation, operations and coordination units; across all three banks.
8. She joined politics in 2010 during which she was first appointed in 2011 as a Senior Special Assistant to a former governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema. She also served as a member of the state’s Internal Revenue Board.
9. In 2016, she was appointed by the Economic Community of West African Countries where she temporarily worked as a presidential election observer in Cape Verde.
10. The former banker worked at the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, from 2017 to 2022.
11. Shehu also worked as the National Coordinator, Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, where she used her banking and career expertise to see to the digitalisation of the programme – a move she described as her biggest achievement.
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Source: The PUNCH
