President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially appointed Nasir Naeem Abdulsalam as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL), a move seen as a crucial step in revitalizing Nigeria’s long-dormant steel sector.
The announcement was made public on Friday night in Abuja through a press release issued by Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The appointment takes effect from April 3, 2025.
According to the statement, Abdulsalam’s appointment aligns with the provisions of the Certain Political and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) Act of 2008, which has since been amended. His new role is seen as strategic in advancing the government’s industrial development agenda.
Before his elevation to this high-profile role, Nasir Naeem Abdulsalam held key positions that exposed him to the challenges and opportunities within Nigeria’s steel and industrial sectors. He served as the Technical Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Steel Development and also functioned as Special Assistant (Academics) to the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS). These roles positioned him as a highly experienced and knowledgeable professional within the steel policy and operations ecosystem.
In light of this appointment, President Tinubu has charged Abdulsalam with the important responsibility of repositioning the Ajaokuta Steel Company as a key driver of industrialization and economic transformation in Nigeria. The President’s vision is to harness the untapped potential of the company to drive value-added activities both upstream and downstream in the steel sector.
As part of the broader goals of the Renewed Hope Agenda, the President emphasized that the reactivation and proper management of Ajaokuta Steel will be vital in pushing Nigeria toward becoming the industrial hub of Africa. He urged the new MD to use his wealth of knowledge to ensure that the company begins to generate jobs, stimulate local content, boost foreign exchange earnings, and support infrastructure development across the country.
The official statement reads:
“The appointment takes effect from 3rd April 2025 and is in accordance with the provisions of the Certain Political and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act 2008 as amended.
Until his appointment, Nasir served as the Technical Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Steel Development as well as the Special Assistant (Academics) to the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
President Tinubu tasks the appointee to leverage on his wealth of experience in the steel industry in his new assignment in revolutionising the company to generate important upstream and downstream industrial and economic activities that will position the nation as the industrial hub of Africa in line with the diversification drive of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”