Professor Nasiru Abdullahi is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Business Management at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a development consultant working on innovation ecosystems, SME development, research commercialisation and evidence-based policy. He holds a PhD in Entrepreneurship from Universiti Utara Malaysia, and an MBA and a BSc in Business Administration (Actuarial Science) from Ahmadu Bello University.
He previously served as Director of the International Centre of Excellence for Rural Finance and Entrepreneurship and as Head of the Department of Business Administration at Ahmadu Bello University. His work focuses on translating research into economic and social value through viable business models, proof of concept, enterprise support and institutional capacity building. He served on the technical committee that prepared commercialisation business plans for the Institute for Agricultural Research, the National Animal Production Research Institute, the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services and the ABU Sugarcane Biofactory.
He has contributed to assignments supported by the World Bank, UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Nigerian government institutions, and currently serves as Technical and Research Adviser to the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion.
A postgraduate supervisor, external examiner and academic assessor, Professor Abdullahi has delivered international conference lead papers on organisational resilience, sustainable prosperity, entrepreneurial mindsets and university innovation ecosystems. His scholarship and practice reflect the Triple Helix ideal of productive collaboration among universities, industry and government to develop market-ready innovations, competitive enterprises and inclusive development.
ABRIDGED BIOGRAPHY Prof. Nasiru Abdullahi is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Business Management at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he has served as Head of the Department of Business Administration and as Director of the International Centre of Excellence for Rural Finance and Entrepreneurship (ICERFE). His work sits at the meeting point of university research, enterprise and public policy, covering research commercialisation, business model design, SME competitiveness and innovation ecosystem development. He has led and contributed to assignments for the World Bank, UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Nigerian federal and state institutions, and currently serves as Technical and Research Adviser to the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion.