President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved new governing boards for three major national agencies — the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) — in a move aimed at boosting Nigeria’s agricultural financing and basic education delivery.
At UBEC, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura remains as Board Chairman — a post he has held since July. New zonal representatives drawn from across the six geo-political zones have been appointed, with each member slated to serve an initial four-year term.
For the Bank of Agriculture, Tinubu confirmed Muhammad Babangida as Chairman and Ayo Sotinrin as Managing Director/CEO. The BOA board also received three executive directors and five non-executive directors — all representing Nigeria’s six geo-political zones — underscoring a commitment to regional inclusion.
Meanwhile, the NADF — established to provide affordable capital to farmers and agripreneurs — now has a full board. Leading it is veteran banker Bello Maccido as Chairman, alongside a team of experienced professionals drawn from various regions. The newly constituted board is expected to steer the Fund’s mandate to expand access to capital and boost agricultural development nationwide.
The appointments were made official in a statement from the Presidency, signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy. According to the release, these boards are expected to hit the ground running, laying the groundwork for enhanced delivery in education, agriculture financing and rural development.
