President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Nasir Naeem Abdulsalam as the new Managing Director of Ajaokuta Steel Company.
The announcement was made through an official statement released on Friday night by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
According to the statement, the appointment of Nasir Abdulsalam took effect from April 3, 2025.
It was also disclosed that the decision was made in line with the provisions of the Certain Political and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) Act 2008 (as amended).
This confirmation was given by Mr. Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the SGF.
Until this appointment, Abdulsalam served as the Technical Adviser to the Minister of Steel Development.
He was also Special Assistant on Academics to the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
Moreover, the President encouraged Abdulsalam to bring his experience and deep knowledge of the industry into his new role.
“The appointee is tasked to leverage on his wealth of experience in the steel industry in his new assignment in revolutionising the company to generate important upstream and downstream industrial and economic activities that will position the nation as the industrial hub of Africa in line with the diversification drive of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” the statement read.
The steel industry in Nigeria has been stagnant for years, mainly due to leadership gaps and underinvestment.
However, with a fresh mandate and a clear direction from the presidency, expectations are high that Abdulsalam will lead much-needed changes.
Industry experts believe that with proper management, Ajaokuta Steel Company could become a major player in Africa’s industrial revolution.
The steel plant has the capacity to create thousands of jobs and stimulate local manufacturing, which is essential to reducing dependence on imports.
Furthermore, stakeholders have described the appointment as a wake-up call to revive the nation’s industrial base.
This is particularly important at a time when the government is intensifying efforts to diversify the economy beyond oil.
It is also worth noting that the Renewed Hope Agenda, which is the current administration’s blueprint, places heavy emphasis on infrastructural development, local production, and sustainable job creation.
Therefore, the steel sector is expected to play a major role in delivering those objectives.
His ability to implement change will likely determine how far Ajaokuta can go in reclaiming its role in Nigeria’s industrial journey.
