Abubakar Bukola Saraki
Former President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Abubakar Bukola Saraki, former President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has experience in both the private sector and in public service in Nigeria.
Born in 1962, Dr. Saraki was educated in both Nigeria and the UK, and practiced as a medical doctor at Rush Green Hospital in London. Dr. Saraki returned to Nigeria in 1989 where he worked in the financial sector for nearly a decade, overseeing corporate development and expansion programs within the financial industry. In 2000 he was appointed by the federal government of Nigeria as Special Assistant to the President on Budget, where he was responsible for preparing the 2000/2001 National Budget.
With a vision to translate his experiences into progress and development for the people of his home state, Dr. Saraki was elected Governor of Kwara State in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. As Governor, Dr. Saraki promoted innovative approaches to agriculture, health, education, fiscal policy and environmental reforms and was appointed Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. He was the first Nigerian Governor to be awarded the National Honor of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). Programs initiated during his term have been emulated within and outside Nigeria and include community health insurance schemes, environmental ‘Clean and Green’ schemes, and agricultural programs that turned Kwara State from a net importer to a net exporter of food.
To continue serving the people of Kwara State and the Kwara Central Senatorial District, Dr. Saraki ran and was elected as a Senator in 2011. He has since been appointed Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology. His legislative interests also include health, agriculture, education, national economy and environmental policy. Senator Saraki is also a member of the Senate Committees on Capital Markets and Finance.
Dr. Saraki has received numerous local and international awards including: ‘Governor of the Year’ by This Day Newspapers 2004; Harvard Business School Africa Club Award 2005; Kenneth Kaunda Foundation Best Governor in Africa 2006; Outstanding Governor on Energy 2009 by the Nigerian Compass; Award of Excellence in Development of Education and Health Care Delivery in Nigeria by the College of Medicine, University of Lagos 2012; among many others.
Born in 1962, Dr. Saraki was educated in both Nigeria and the UK, and practiced as a medical doctor at Rush Green Hospital in London. Dr. Saraki returned to Nigeria in 1989 where he worked in the financial sector for nearly a decade, overseeing corporate development and expansion programs within the financial industry. In 2000 he was appointed by the federal government of Nigeria as Special Assistant to the President on Budget, where he was responsible for preparing the 2000/2001 National Budget.
With a vision to translate his experiences into progress and development for the people of his home state, Dr. Saraki was elected Governor of Kwara State in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. As Governor, Dr. Saraki promoted innovative approaches to agriculture, health, education, fiscal policy and environmental reforms and was appointed Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. He was the first Nigerian Governor to be awarded the National Honor of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). Programs initiated during his term have been emulated within and outside Nigeria and include community health insurance schemes, environmental ‘Clean and Green’ schemes, and agricultural programs that turned Kwara State from a net importer to a net exporter of food.
To continue serving the people of Kwara State and the Kwara Central Senatorial District, Dr. Saraki ran and was elected as a Senator in 2011. He has since been appointed Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology. His legislative interests also include health, agriculture, education, national economy and environmental policy. Senator Saraki is also a member of the Senate Committees on Capital Markets and Finance.
Dr. Saraki has received numerous local and international awards including: ‘Governor of the Year’ by This Day Newspapers 2004; Harvard Business School Africa Club Award 2005; Kenneth Kaunda Foundation Best Governor in Africa 2006; Outstanding Governor on Energy 2009 by the Nigerian Compass; Award of Excellence in Development of Education and Health Care Delivery in Nigeria by the College of Medicine, University of Lagos 2012; among many others.
