December 16, (THEWILL) — Dangote Group has appointed renowned economist and former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Director, Dr Hassan Mahmud, as its Group Chief Economist, bolstering the conglomerate’s economic advisory capacity amid heightened global and domestic market volatility.
In his new role, Dr Mahmud will serve as the Group’s principal adviser on macroeconomic strategy, market trends, and policy developments, reporting directly to the Group President, Aliko Dangote. His appointment is expected to strengthen Dangote Group’s strategic decision-making as it navigates complex economic conditions across Nigeria, Africa, and international markets.
Dr Mahmud brings over three decades of experience in economic policy formulation, financial-sector regulation, and central banking. During his tenure at the CBN, he held several senior positions, including Director of the Trade and Exchange Department and Director of the Monetary Policy Department. He also served as Secretary to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) and as Special Assistant on Economic Policy and Research to the CBN Governor.
Beyond Nigeria, Dr Mahmud has contributed significantly to regional economic integration, serving as a lead consultant to the African Union Commission on trade-integration initiatives and the establishment of the African Monetary Fund.
Academically, he holds a PhD in Economics and an MSc in Energy Economics and Policy from the University of Surrey, United Kingdom, as well as a BSc in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School and holds professional certifications as a Bank Examiner and Anti–Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) Analyst.
Mahmud is a Fellow of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Statistical Association, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and the Compliance Institute of Nigeria. A prolific researcher, he has published extensively in macroeconomics, monetary policy, energy economics, and financial engineering.
In addition to his corporate responsibilities, he remains active in academia as a visiting professor at several Nigerian universities and currently serves as President of the Nigerian Association for Energy Economics.
The appointment underscores Dangote Industries Limited’s emphasis on deep economic insight and policy intelligence as it positions the Group for sustained growth in an increasingly complex economic environment.
Ogochukwu Onwaeze
