Dr. Hussaini Abdu is a public intellectual, development, and humanitarian specialist, activist, and leader. He is also passionate about social justice and committed to human and environmental development. He has worked in over 10 different countries and travelled to over 45 countries for different programmes and operational missions in the last 15 years. These have given him the opportunity to lead interesting and pioneering advocacy in Africa and Europe, including advocacy on the environment, education, HIV/AIDS, debt, youth participation, illicit financial flow, and development financing.
He has extensive international strategic leadership experience that spans over 20 years and has held international responsibilities in different organisations. As the Head of the ActionAid International Democracy and Governance Programme, he coordinated and developed democracy and governance programmes in 23 different African countries, supporting state institutions and working closely with International and regional organisations including the African Union (AU), Southern African Development Corporation (SADC), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), European Union, OECD and the UN system among others.
Prior to this, Dr. Abdu taught Political Science and Defence Studies at Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, and has written extensively in books and learned journals. He is also a major resource person on Nigerian and African security, democracy and governance issues to different national and international fora and media. He is the author of “Clash of Identity: State, Society and Ethno-Religious Conflicts in Northern Nigeria”, a book published in 2010 that is a major contribution to the understanding of the dynamics of violent conflicts in northern Nigeria.
He is currently the Country Director of Plan International in Nigeria. Dr. Abdu has a significant presence in the African civil society space and has contributed significantly to Africa/Nigeria’s development policy environment and state institutional strengthening. He is also a leading voice on the challenges of poverty, inequality, and exclusion in Africa.
Dr. Abdu is the Chair of the Board of Yiaga Africa.