Dauda Lawal (born 2 September 1965) is a Nigerian banker and politician who is the governor of Zamfara state. He was elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 Nigerian gubernatorial elections defeating the incumbent Governor Bello Matawalle of the APC.
He is an established leader in the Nigerian Banking Industry and is known to be one of the key players in the financial sector of the Nigerian Economy as he served as the executive director, Public Sector North, of First Bank of Nigeria Plc. He was sworn in as a governor on 29th may 2023.
Early life
Dauda Lawal was born on 2 September 1965 into a humble family popularly known in the textile industry in Gusau, Northern Nigeria, he is the 3rd child of Textile Don & Guru, Lawal Muhammad Dare. From a very young age, he was taken to his maternal grandparents’ house in Guga village in Katsina State where he got his primary education, then went to Government Secondary School, Kankia for his Secondary Education.
Education
Lawal graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1987 with B.Sc. in political science, he obtained an M.Sc. in political science/international relations from the same university in 1992, and holds a PhD in business administration from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, before going further to develop himself by taking courses at prestigious universities, including the London School of Economics, Harvard Business School, Oxford University Business School, Massachusetts, USA; Wharton Business School, Pennsylvania; Oxford University Business School; International Faculty of Finance, London; Fitch Training, London & New York,and Lagos Business School among others.
Lawal is a Fellow, Institute of Credit Administration of Nigeria; Fellow, Civilian Institute of Democratic Administration of Ghana; Member, Institute of Directors, Nigeria; Member,Institute of Corporate Administration, Nigeria; and African Business Roundtable.
Professional career
He started his working career in 1989 as a political education officer with the Agency for Mass Mobilization for Social and Economic Reliance Nigeria. In 1989, he joined Westex Nigeria Limited as an assistant general manager. In 1994, he was appointed as an assistant consular officer (immigration), and later chief protocol officer, Embassy of Nigeria, Washington, D.C., US. Lawal joined First Bank of Nigeria Plc in May 2003; as relationship manager, commercial banking, and was at various times senior manager, Abuja Area office, business development manager, Abuja, principal manager, group head PSG II, assistant general manager (business development manager), Maitama, deputy general manager (business development manager), Maitama/group head public sector, Abuja. Between October 2010 and September 2011, Lawal was elevated to the position of executive vice president, public sector North, of First Bank of Nigeria Plc. In September 2012 he became executive director, Public Sector North, of First Bank of Nigeria Plc.
When Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was Central Bank Governor, Lawal served as his special adviser on Islamic banking leading reforms that have since allowed the emergence of Jaiz, TAJ & Lotus banks.
Lawal worked sedulously surpassing his targets regularly Between 2010 and 2011, Lawal rose to be the Executive Vice President, Public Sector North, of First Bank of Nigeria Plc. He joined the Board of First Bank in 2012 & became Executive Director, Public Sector North In 2014, he vied for the position of MD/CEO of First Bank. He lost the race by just a single vote and at just 48 he resigned from the Bank.
Lawal alongside he very old friend Munir Umaru Baba started Credent Capital and Advisory Limited, they launched it with an initial Capital base of $500 million which was about N100 billion. With just 15 skilled Investment staff, they have invested & managed over $2 billion or N1 trillion for 175+ clients across the world since then.
Lawal also has an honorary Doctorate degree in Business Administration (DBA) from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. He received the prestigious African Achievers Award in 2021 at the Kensington Palace London.