President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed 39-year-old Engr. (Dr) Abdullahi Garba Ramat as the new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The appointment of Engr. Ramat, who hails from Kano State, has been hailed by stakeholders as a fresh breath of air in Nigeria’s power sector, bringing on board a young technocrat with a rare blend of technical know-how, business acumen, and grassroots experience.
Born on July 27, 1985, Ramat’s journey to the top is as inspiring as it is unconventional.
He began his educational career in a modest community school before advancing to Government Technical College, Ungogo, for his junior secondary education, and later Dawakin Tofa Science College for his senior secondary certificate.
His academic brilliance led him to the College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies in Kano, where he completed an IJMB programme before securing admission to Bayero University, Kano.
At BUK, he studied Electrical Engineering and graduated with a Second-Class Upper Division. Even as an undergraduate, Ramat displayed remarkable entrepreneurial zeal, founding AG RAMAT GLOBAL LINKS in 2008—a tech-based startup that has now evolved into a multinational with operations in Nigeria, Chad, India, and Dubai.
The company has since diversified into agriculture, mining, and import/export, while retaining a strong core in information technology.
He holds a Master’s degree in Telecom from Jodhpur International University, India, and is currently rounding off a PhD in Communication and Wireless Networks at VIT, Jaipur, India.
Beyond his academic and business credentials, Ramat is also a passionate humanitarian. Through his RAMAT FOUNDATION, he has facilitated the return of over 500 school dropouts to classrooms, distributed more than 200,000 writing materials to pupils, and constructed learning facilities including an Islamic school in Zaura and a completed primary school in Rangaza Ward.
His foundation has also made significant interventions in the health sector—renovating primary healthcare centres and providing free artificial limbs to over 200 amputees in collaboration with an Indian firm.
In 2018, he ventured into politics, contesting for the Ungogo/Minjibir Federal Constituency seat under the People’s Redemption Party (PRP).
Though unsuccessful at the polls, his campaign was widely regarded as impactful and mobilized a new wave of youth political participation.
Recognising his leadership potential, the immediate past Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, appointed him as the youngest Director-General in the state’s history, saddled with the responsibility of overseeing metropolitan infrastructure projects, including street lighting and urban beautification.
He later served as the Executive Chairman of Ungogo Local Government from 2020 to 2023.
As he assumes the leadership of NERC, industry observers are optimistic that Engr. Ramat’s energy, innovation, and track record of delivery will inject a new level of efficiency and reform into Nigeria’s power regulatory framework.
His appointment is widely seen as a masterstroke by President Tinubu, aligning with his renewed hope agenda to empower competent young Nigerians with the responsibility of national transformation.
