The Quittisential Abdulganiyu Rufai, By Adnan Mukhtar
No doubt Abdulganiyu Rufai Yakub is a quintessential leader whose track record has proven his versatility and capacity in different sectors.
Rufai has exhibited high qualities of leadership as Secretary of the Students Union of Bayero University, Kano. He was a development worker of note before going into the IT sector where he established the Digital Development Hub.
Fondly called by friends and associates as Gannygreen, he was a Programme Officer with the famous Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) where he successfully provided strategic direction to the organisation’s peace-leading project implementation.
Ganiyu was the Co-Founder and the pioneer Director of corporate relations at Innovation Support Network -the largest umbrella body of Tech Hubs, maker spaces, fab labs and startup accelerators in Nigeria where he manages the corporate governance responsibilities of the organisation. He served as great mobilizer, deal-breaker and tech evangelist through the organization
To prove his versatility, Gani founded the Digital Development Hub in 2014 a platform that served as the pioneer platform that gave raised to a number of tech communities, entrepreneurs and startup founders in Kano and other Northern Nigerian states. Through DD Hub, he founded a number of commercial and social impact startups
Ganiyu is not only an innovative thinker but a scholar with a background in Agricultural Economics. He holds a bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Economics and extension from Bayero University, Kano in 2013, MSC in Agricultural Economics in 2016 and is a Doctoral Candidate in the same field with specialisation in livelihood and natural economics.
A consultant and lead trainer with Equal Access’s tech fellowship, peace hackathon and tech camp projects, Ganiyu has trained thousands of students in peacebuilding and Information Technology.
A consultant to local and international organizations which include the United States Institute for Peace, UNICEF, Equal Access, IFDC, Sasakawa Global and Islamic Development Bank supported Kano Agro Pastoralist Development Project.
Ganiyu is a Co-Founder at Kayi Bank, a groundbreaking digital bank set to redefine the future of banking and financial services in Africa.
He was the Bank’s pioneer Chief Executive Officer and Product Lead.
A Co-Founder of the African Emerging Leaders Forum and a Co-convener of the Nigerian Emerging Leaders Forum
As he celebrates his birthday, I saw it necessary to pen a tribute to this silent achiever who has not been supportive to me but to many young people who are doing well in different endeavours.
I wish Mr. Abdulganiyu Rufai Yakub a happy birthday and many happy returns of the day.
