The Nigerian political space has become a very interesting one since the commencement of this fourth republic in 1999, with many commentators express their regret on lack of progress.
One of the major challenges the country is facing has always been the recruitment process for the political leaders at the Federal level and the sub nationals with many of them demonstrating lack of capacity as well as unwillingness to cater to the needs of the people they govern.
There has been a lot of agitation for the more participation of private sector leaders or technocrats in politics, either for elective offices or appointments into political offices due to the perceived failures of the typical professional Nigerian politicians.
Nigeria’s economic setup is largely shaped by its private sector, which accounts for over 80% of GDP and employment.
Private sector leaders are increasingly showing more interest in Nigerian politics, often through partnerships with government, funding initiatives, advocacy for specific policies, appointments into public offices or even actively contesting for elective positions.
This trend points to paradigm shift in Nigerian politics, where technocratic credentials and private sector experience are gaining appeal among voters and party powerbrokers alike.
For these set of politicians, decades spent navigating market volatility, managing enterprises, and driving capital investment have become assets in addressing Nigeria’s fiscal and governance challenges.
This list highlights Nigerian current state governors who came from the private sector, detailing their professional journeys
Ogun state governour, Adedapo Oluseun Abiodun was born on May 29, 1960, in Iperu-Remo, Ogun State. Abiodun began his tertiary education in civil engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, but eventually moved to the U.S., earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Kennesaw State University in 1986.
He spent a few years in Atlanta working as a Cost Accountant at Glock Inc. from 1989 to 1991, which set the tone for his future in business leadership.
He ventured into entrepreneurship empire, becoming chairman or CEO of several ventures, including Heyden Petroleum, Crestar Hydrocarbons, OMS-Heyden Exploration and Production, Alarmnet, Innovative Ventures, and First Power Limited.
Notably, through his company Alarmnet, he was instrumental in supplying security communication systems during the turbulent mid-1990s in Lagos working with the state’s authorities to help curb armed robbery by providing vehicle-tracking systems and home alert devices.
In the oil and gas sector, his leadership at Heyden Petroleum grew from importing PMS and diesel to operating tank farms in Apapa, owning crude tankers, and managing retail outlets across the country. He also extended his interests into aviation, maintaining a fleet of chartered aircraft.
From 2012 to 2019, he led the Depot and Petroleum Product Marketers Association of Nigeria. In 2018, President Buhari appointed him chairman of the Corporate Affairs Commission.
