Nigeria Mourns Ex-Finance Minister Abubakar Alhaji

According to Ireporter Online, former Minister of Finance and Sardauna of Sokoto, Abubakar Alhaji, has passed away at the age of 88 following a brief illness.

Family sources confirmed that the elder statesman died on Thursday morning at a hospital in Abuja.

Alhaji was widely recognised for his distinguished career in Nigeria’s public service, where he occupied several key positions before serving as the country’s Minister of Finance between 1990 and 1991 under the administration of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida.

He began his career in the Federal Civil Service in 1964 as an Assistant Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance and steadily rose through the ranks. In 1975, he was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Trade before returning to the Ministry of Finance in the same capacity four years later.

During his years in the civil service, Alhaji played a significant role in Nigeria’s financial administration, including managing negotiations with external creditors and participating in the country’s team for the Lomé II Agreement.

His experience later earned him an appointment as Minister of State for Budget and National Planning in 1988 before he assumed office as Minister of Finance.

Following his tenure in the finance ministry, Alhaji represented Nigeria as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1992 to 1996, overseeing diplomatic relations between both countries during his time in London.

Beyond government service, the late statesman was a respected traditional leader. In 1990, he was turbaned as the Sardauna of Sokoto, succeeding to one of the most revered titles in the Sokoto Caliphate previously held by the late Sir Ahmadu Bello.

As Sardauna, he was regarded as a custodian of the history, culture and heritage of the Sokoto Caliphate, earning widespread respect for his contributions to public service and traditional leadership throughout his lifetime.