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Investment Promotion
During two periods leading NIPC, she initiated work on a National Investment Promotion Masterplan and a framework for better coordination across Nigeria's investment ecosystem.
Investment promotion · Development finance · Institutional reform
Saratu
Umar
Saratu Umar has spent more than three decades working across banking, export finance, investment promotion and public institutions in Nigeria.
She served twice as Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission and built a 22-year career at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, working across finance, strategy, business development and operations.
At a glance
- 30+ years
- Across finance, investment, consulting and public service
- 2 tenures
- Executive Secretary / CEO, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission
- International engagement
- Investment and trade engagements across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America
- Board experience
- Transcorp Hotels Plc and BUA Foods Plc
Areas of work
A career across finance, investment and public institutions
Saratu's career has moved across different parts of Nigeria's investment and development landscape — from financing exporters and businesses to leading the country's national investment promotion agency.
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Development & Export Finance
Her 22 years at NEXIM Bank covered trade and project finance, credit insurance and guarantees, business development, strategic planning, regional operations and other senior management functions.
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Institutional Reform & Governance
Her work at NIPC included reforms focused on governance, accountability, operating processes, risk management and service delivery. She has also served as an independent board member at Transcorp Hotels and BUA Foods.
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Economic Diplomacy & Investor Engagement
Her public-service career included trade missions, investment forums, bilateral engagements and meetings with investors, governments and development institutions across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America.
Selected impact
Selected work
Building a more coordinated approach to investment promotion
Nigeria's investment promotion activity spans federal institutions, state governments, sector agencies, diplomatic missions and the private sector. During her second tenure at NIPC, Saratu initiated work aimed at bringing more structure to how these different parts of the system worked together.
This included development of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Masterplan and the National Investment Promotion Coordination Framework, with a focus on aligning investment activity with national and sector priorities, improving coordination between national and state investment agencies, and making investor engagement more deliberate.
The wider programme also included proposals for a National Council of Investment Promotion, stronger investment capacity at state level and more consistent collection of investment-grade project information.
Strengthening institutional systems at NIPC
On returning to NIPC in 2022, Saratu set out a reform agenda covering corporate governance, accountability, standardised processes, risk management, stakeholder engagement, investment strategy and technology.
The work was intended to strengthen the Commission's internal systems while improving its ability to coordinate and support Nigeria's wider investment ecosystem.
Two decades in development and export finance
Before leading NIPC, Saratu spent 22 years at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank.
She worked through and led functions including credit insurance and guarantees, business development, strategic planning, human resources, trade finance, project finance, regional operations and board support.
That experience provided much of the technical and institutional foundation for her later work in investment promotion, governance and public-sector reform.
Career
A career across finance, investment and public institutions
Development & Export Finance
Nigerian Export-Import Bank
22 years
Saratu spent 22 years at NEXIM Bank, working across trade and project finance, credit insurance and guarantees, business development, strategic planning, regional operations, people management and board support.
Investment Promotion & Institutional Leadership
Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission
Two tenures
She served twice as Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NIPC, leading work across investment promotion, national coordination, stakeholder engagement and institutional reform.
Advisory & Governance
Aisston Consulting and board-level work
Present
Her current advisory work draws on experience across investment, finance, strategy, risk and public-sector governance, alongside previous independent board service at Transcorp Hotels and BUA Foods.
International engagement
Representing Nigeria in investment and trade
Saratu's work has taken her into investment, trade and development discussions across several regions of the world.
Her assignments have included the Annual Investment Meeting in Dubai, UNCTAD's World Investment Forum in Geneva, the US–Africa Leaders' Summit in Washington, investment forums in India and Singapore, investor-targeting engagements in Japan, and business and investment forums in the United Kingdom, Turkey and Canada.
More recently at NIPC, she led engagements with Nigeria's diplomatic community and held investment discussions with international partners including representatives from Japan and China.
Selected moments
Across the years
Selected moments from investment engagements, international forums, institutional meetings and public service.
In the media
Coverage and interviews
Selected reporting, interviews and coverage of Saratu's work in investment promotion and economic development.
The Guardian3 December 2022
FG pledges to reduce Nigeria's reliance on borrowing
Presidential Villa briefing covering NIPC's investment strategy and the development of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Masterplan.
Read articleVanguard15 February 2023
AfCFTA: FG, states to launch National Investment Coordination Framework
Coverage of the proposed framework, state coordination and a National Council of Investment Promotion.
Read articleDaily Trust20 February 2023
Why Diplomatic Community Is Key To Nigeria's Investment Drive – NIPC
Coverage of the role of diplomatic missions in investor engagement, information and policy advocacy.
Read articleFeatured video · Arise News
Driving Nigeria's New Investment Promotion
Interview on NIPC's investment-promotion direction.
Watch videoCurrent work
Saratu is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aisston Consulting Ltd, where her work draws on experience across investment, finance, strategy, risk management, project delivery and public-sector governance.
Professional enquiries