About
Dr. Hussaini Abdu is a highly regarded public intellectual, international development and humanitarian expert with over 25 years of experience in research, program development, and leadership, spanning more than 47 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. For the past 15 years, he has held the role of Country Director at three major organizations: ActionAid (2009–2015), Plan International (2015–2021), and currently, CARE International since 2021. He serves on the boards of numerous African civil society and research institutions and is the Board Chair of YIAGA Africa, a leading democracy and governance organization, as well as the Chair of Partners West Africa, an organization focused on the rule of law and citizens’ security in the region.
From 2006 to 2009, Dr. Abdu was the Head of ActionAid International’s Democracy and Governance Programme in Africa, where he coordinated and supported governance and development programs across 23 African countries. In this capacity, he collaborated closely with state institutions, and international and regional organizations, including the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the United Nations, among others.
Dr Abdu has also worked as a staff member and consultant with various local and international organizations such as the UN, USAID, DFID, and the European Union, providing expertise in Nigeria and East Africa. He has taught Political Economy and Defence Studies at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, and has led numerous institutional reviews, strategic planning processes, and technical assistance projects for governments and organizations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
He holds a PhD in Political Science from Bayero University, Nigeria, and has completed specialized courses and fellowships at prestigious institutions including Harvard University and King’s College London. Dr. Abdu has made significant contributions to academic literature and has been a key resource on topics related to Nigerian and African civil society, democratic governance, security, elections, climate change, and development. A frequent media contributor, he has been featured in leading national and international outlets such as CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, Sky News, France 24, Channels, AIT, and NTA.
Dr Abdu is also the author of two well-regarded books: Clash of Identity: State, Society and Ethno-Religious Conflicts in Northern Nigeria (2010) and Partitioned Borgu: State, Politics and Society in a West African Border Region (2019).
A Leader at Work, A Devoted Father at Heart
Dr Hussaini is a father to his three sons and a daughter, raising them alongside his wonderful wife. Despite his significant contributions to development and leadership, nothing brings him more joy than the role of being a dad, nurturing his children, and watching them grow.
Family remains at the heart of everything he does, balancing his professional success with the fulfillment of raising a loving family.
