Hon. Muhammad Sani Abdu

Hon. Muhammad Sani Abdu is a seasoned professional, with vast experience spanning 53 years in the public, academic and political sectors.

Before his appointment as Executive Director, Loans and Mortgage Services at the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, he was a two-term member of the House of Representatives, representing Alkaleri/Kirfi Federal Constituency, between May, 2007 to June 2011, and June 2015 to 2019.

At the Green Chambers, Abdu served in several committees namely: Member, Committee on Constitutional Review, Chairman, Sub-Committee on Federal Housing Authority of the Committee on Housing, Member, Committee on Housing, Deputy Chairman, Committee on Nigeria-Saudi Parliamentary Friendship and Hajj Affairs, Member, Committee on Works, Committee on SDGs, Committee on FCT, amongst several others between 2015 and 2019. He was also a Member, House Committee on Housing and Habitat between 2007 and 2011.

As a vibrant member of the House, Hon. Abdu sponsored many bills and moved many motions, significantly, a Bill for an Act to alter the 1999 Constitution (as amended), to balance annual budgetary allocation of resources between recurrent and capital expenditure, as well as a Bill for establishment of Nigerian-Armed Forces Reserved Corps. Hon. Abdu’s passion for housing provision impelled him to establish Hinterland Properties Ltd (HPL) in 2002, a platform which he uses to develop properties for sale, lease and rentals.

He worked as the Deputy Director, Cooperation and Development Department at the Ministry of Cooperation and Integration in Africa (MCIA), between 2004 and 2006, where he coordinated the Regional Cooperation Division of the Department. As a Deputy Director (Resettlement) at the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory (2003-2004), Hon. Abdu played a critical role in the development of the FCT Mass Housing Policy.

From 1993 to 1999, he was an Assistant Professor at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Earlier in 1990, he took up an appointment as the Director, Physical Planning at the University of Jos and moved on to the Urban Development Bank of Nigeria Plc, as Controller and Head of Commercial Ventures and Public Utilities Department.

Hon. Abdu was also the National Coordinator, (Rural Housing Programme) between 1989 and 1990, and was responsible for formulating policy issues for the nationwide rural housing programme.

In a bid to transfer his wealth of knowledge and experience to the upcoming generation, Abdu took up lecturing at the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi. This was prior to working at the Bauchi State Development Board, Environment Seven (Nigeria) Ltd, and Bauchi State Ministry of Works and Transport. He has held other ad hoc appointments in Bauchi, including Chairman, Environmental Sanitation Task Force Committee, Chairman, Federal Government N20 Million Special Grant Implementation Task Force, University of Jos, amongst others. Hon. Abdu is a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (FNITP), Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Management (FNIM) and a Registered Town Planner (RTP).

He is a seasoned Boardroom player, having served on different Boards, both in the capacity of Chairman and Member. Between 2000 and 2004, he was the Chairman, Board of Directors, Aso Savings and Loans Ltd, Member, Board of Lion Bank Plc, and Member, Board of Capital Hotels Ltd, Abuja. He was also Member, Board of Directors, Benue Cement Company Plc, and Member, FCT Mass Housing between 2003 and 2004. Between 2006 and 2007, he served as a Member, Board of Directors, ECOWAS Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Hon. Abdu holds a Doctorate in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Sheffield, England, a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning and a Bachelors in Architecture both from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He has attended and presented papers at many international and local workshops and seminars. As a Member of the Development Studies Association of Great Britain, he attended and presented a paper at the 1988 Conference of the Association at the University of Birmingham. He also participated in a training by the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), on Regional Cooperation and Integration in Africa in 2006. Abdu also attended a Common Wealth Fellowship Executive Course in Nanyan University, Singapore on Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) in 2001, amongst many other workshops and seminars.

He has written many articles and published some of them in reputable international journals, bordering on rural development planning, urban governance, regional development planning and environmental system management.

Hon. Abdu enjoys playing football, jogging, reading and attending study circles.