Tinubu’s Adviser Hadiza Bala-Usman Remarries In Private Zaria Ceremony

Hadiza Bala-Usman, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority and current Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Coordination, has remarried in a private ceremony.

According to reports, the wedding took place on Thursday, January 8, 2026, in Zaria, Kaduna State, where she tied the knot with Alhaji Shehu Dikko. The ceremony was held at the residence of her late father, the respected historian Professor Yusuf Bala Usman, and was attended by close family members and a few associates.

Bala-Usman, 50, is known for maintaining a low profile despite her high-profile roles in government. She was previously married to economist Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, former Chief Economic Adviser to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and the union produced two children.

Born on January 2, 1976, Bala-Usman studied Business Administration at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, before earning a master’s degree in Development Studies from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. She began her career in civil society and public sector reform before becoming Chief of Staff to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, where she played a key role in governance and policy planning.

In 2016, she made history as the first female Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, a position she held until 2021. In 2023, she was appointed Special Adviser on Policy Coordination by President Bola Tinubu.