CLOSE-UP: This is Zainab Ahmed — 8 things you need to know about Kemi Adeosun’s replacement

An accountant and a woman with Ogun state connection — is Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, acting minister of finance, the new Kemi Adeosun (minus the NYSC bit)?

Like Adeosun, she studied accounting. She holds a degree in accounting from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a master’s in business administration from Ogun State University — Adeosun’s home state.

Ahmed was on Friday appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to oversee the ministry of finance following the resignation of Adeosun over the NYSC certificate issue.

Ahmed will hold the position only on a temporary basis until the national assembly reconvenes and Buhari is able to send a replacement for senate screening.

Here are eight facts you need to know about Zainab Ahmed:

1. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed was born 55 years ago in Kaduna State. Ahmed is the daughter of Yahaya Hamza, the foster father of Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state.

Hamza, who died in August 2015, was once permanent secretary in the federal ministry of education and secretary to the government of Kaduna state.

2. She obtained a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1981 and an MBA from the Ogun state University, Ago Iwoye.

3. She started work in 1982 as an Accountant in Kaduna State Ministry of Finance in Kaduna state and moved to Nigerian Telecommunication Ltd (NITEL)

4. In 1995, where she worked in various departments and rose to the rank of the Deputy General Manager (DGM).

5. Ahmed, who fondly calls el-Rufai “my uncle” apparently because of the family ties, was until her appointment as minister of state for budget and planning the executive secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the extractive sector watchdog. In 2010, she was appointed to serve as the executive secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

6. Before her appointment to oversee finance ministry, she was Minister of State Budget and National Planning.

7. She is a fellow of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), a member of the Nigerian Institute of Taxation and the Nigerian Institute of Management.

8. In March 2009, she was appointed Managing Director of Kaduna Investment Company. She was then appointed a member of the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG).