His Excellency, Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq

Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is an entrepreneur and philanthropist-turned politician. He is the Governor of Kwara State, after an overwhelming victory at the 2019 general elections. He contested as the governorship candidate of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Born in Zaria, Kaduna State, into the family of the first lawyer from the country’s northern region, AGF Abdulrazaq, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who holds the prominent traditional titles of Mutawalin Ilorin and Tafida of Zazzau (Zaria), Abdulrahman, a Muslim, comes from Ilorin West Local Government, which is in the Kwara Central Senatorial District of the State. He speaks Yoruba, English and Hausa languages fluently.

EDUCATION
Abdulrahman attended Capital School, Kaduna, between 1966 and 1968; Bishop Smith Memorial School Ilorin between 1970 and 1971; Government College, Kaduna, where he sat his West African School Certificate Examination (WASC) and A-Levels at Davies Laing and Dick (Now DLD College), London England.
As a young man, Abdulrahman opted to become an entrepreneur. As part of his business career, he attended several Executive Management Courses at the College of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Oxford, England (Now Oxford Preston Programme), Oxford, England.

CAREER
Abdulrahman’s innate entrepreneurial spirit drove him to making history at the age of 29 when he founded NOPA Oil Services, the first indigenous company to trade in crude oil and petroleum products to the global markets (United States, Europe and Asia) and also to import crude oil and petroleum products into Nigeria. His success story inspired other young entrepreneurs who have also become accomplished oil and gas magnates.
Renowned for his immense knowledge of the petroleum industry, his managerial skills and business acumen cut across agriculture, construction, information technology, shipping and real estate. He is a consultant to various multi-national oil companies and some countries.

PHILANTHROPY
Abdulrahman’s humanitarianism in Kwara State began long before his foray into partisan politics. This included educational sponsorship of indigenes, granting of scholarships, and provision of potable water in disadvantaged areas of the State. Hundreds of women and youths have also benefited from his empowerment programmes, vocational training, provision of start-up capital for small scale businesses and provision of tools, post vocational training.
Abdulrahman is also a renowned supporter of people living with disabilities. His contributions include donation of Braille learning tools, educational aids and equipment to School of the Blind in Ilorin and Pacelli School of the Blind. He promoted football teams in Nigeria and also sponsored football tournaments by donating trophies, playing kits and cash prizes to develop the talents of the youths across various wards of his native Ilorin West.
Abdulrahman’s desire to promote the welfare of others has been expressed through his generous donation to good causes such as his support to the Children of Africa Foundation whose major project is Mother and Child’s Hospital (MCH) Bingerville, Côte d’Ivoire. His good work on philanthropy is not limited to Kwara State.

POLITICS
Abdulrahman’s father, Alhaji AGF Abdulrazaq (SAN), is a prominent Statesman who fought for Nigeria’s Independence and was a Federal Minister in the First Republic in 1965. At the dawn of democracy in 1999, Abdulrahman’s brother, Dr Alimi Abdulrazaq, a leading politician in Kwara State, contested for the governorship election and his sister, Senator Khairat Abdulrazaq-Gwadabe was the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory from 1999 to 2003. Abdulrauph Abdulrazaq (Baba), his younger brother, was chairman of Ilorin Southeast Local Government Area in 2003.
It therefore comes as no surprise that Abdulrahman has become a politician. He ran for the office of Kwara State Governor as the candidate of the (defunct) Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011. In the 2015 General Elections, Abdulrahman also ran for the Kwara Central Senatorial Seat. Followers of Kwara politics say Abdulrahman has an appreciably strong political structure and goodwill spanning across the State’s three senatorial districts, supported with numerous social empowerment programmes, free healthcare services, educational support and community interventions.
Abdulrahman has been a consistent critic of the poor governance in his native Kwara State, one of Nigeria’s First Generation States, that remains underdeveloped. He strongly believes the State deserves better healthcare, education, transportation, water supply, housing and an improved economy. Abdulrahman believes the Good People of Kwara State deserve a clean break from the status quo, presenting himself as a dependable wealth creator and effective manager of human and material resources.

FAMILY
Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is married to Mrs Olufolake Abdulrazaq with children.

 

 

 

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