BUA Foods Plc had announced on Tuesday that it appointed Isyaku Abdulsamad “Khalifa” Rabiu as chief officer, global procurement and strategic operations, effective January 29, 2026, reinforcing its executive bench as the company transitions into an accelerated growth phase.
The move comes as the publicly-listed food manufacturer continues to scale its operations across key staples including sugar, flour, rice and edible oils.
In his new role, Rabiu will be responsible for overseeing the company’s end-to-end procurement framework and driving strategic initiatives to bolster supply-chain resilience, optimise costs, improve operational efficiency and support sustainable long-term growth.
Rabiu brings to the position a blend of operational and strategic experience across the food, cement and animal-feed sectors, built during his tenure within the broader BUA ecosystem.
His appointment comes at a time when volatility in global commodity markets, currency pressures and rising input costs have made agile sourcing and supply-chain strategy increasingly critical for food manufacturers in Nigeria and across Africa.
Isyaku Abdulsamad Rabiu’s career experience
Isyaku Abdulsamad “Khalifa” Rabiu is a senior executive with experience driving strategic and operational initiatives across the food, cement and animal feed industries, with a focus on efficiency, supply-chain resilience, cost optimisation, risk management and long-term growth.
He began his career at BUA Cement, where he built cross-functional exposure across industrial operations, corporate governance and capital allocation, gaining early experience within large-scale manufacturing environments.
He later assumed the role of Director, Special Operations at BUA Group, working closely with senior leadership on high-impact strategic initiatives that required disciplined execution and long-term value creation.
His achievements
In that role, Rabiu led the establishment of a 40-metric-tonne-per-hour animal feed mill, expanding the group’s agribusiness capacity.
He was also central to the commercial re-entry of BUA Rice Mills, overseeing efforts that culminated in the successful reintroduction of BUA-branded rice products into the Nigerian market.
Within BUA Foods, he championed the deployment of proprietary digital platforms designed to improve visibility into consumer behaviour, sales performance and distribution. These initiatives strengthened forecasting, pricing strategy and go-to-market execution at a time of rising competition and input-cost pressures.
Isyaku Abdulsamad Rabiu’s education
Rabiu holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Regent’s University London and a master’s degree in management (MiM) from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.
Beyond his corporate roles, he supports policy-driven social initiatives and is actively involved in efforts to combat human trafficking in Nigeria through his foundation, reflecting an interest in institutional effectiveness and social impact.
