To reposition Nigeria’s trade diplomacy and elevate its global competitiveness, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Sanusi Garba Rikiji, Saudaukin Zamfara and former Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, as the Director-General and Chief Negotiator of the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN).
According to a press release issued by the President, Rikiji’s appointment was announced on Friday, July 18, 2025, as part of a broader reshuffle involving other key national institutions.
As Director-General of NOTN, he will also be responsible for strengthening Nigeria’s trade policy architecture, fostering synergy with institutions such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), World Trade Organization (WTO), and ECOWAS, and developing internal mechanisms to ensure national consensus in trade-related decision-making.
With this new role, Rikiji is expected to drive the implementation of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by championing Nigeria’s trade interests in bilateral and multilateral negotiations, expanding access for Nigerian businesses in global markets, and creating stronger links between formal policy and the informal economy, where he has long advocated for empowerment and visibility.
As he assumes office, Rikiji’s immediate priorities include staff engagement, institutional strengthening, and policy continuity in alignment with Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
The NOTN, which was established to serve as the central coordinating institution for Nigeria’s international trade negotiation architecture, now welcomes a seasoned public servant, grassroots bridge-builder, and legislative strategist to its helm.
Being a distinguished parliamentarian and public administrator, Rikiji has held several key leadership roles, including serving as Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly (2015–2019), where he previously chaired the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation (2011–2015). His extensive career also includes service as Chief of Staff to the Honorable Speaker of the House of Representatives (2019–2022), Acting Governor of Zamfara State (cumulatively for 180 days between 2012–2018), Special Adviser on Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) (2007–2011), Honorable Commissioner of Finance & Economic Planning (2006–2007), Special Adviser on Poverty Alleviation (2004–2006), and Special Adviser on Special Duties (2003–2004). Earlier, he contributed to governance as a public servant from 1993 to 1999. A scholar of public administration and development policy, he has consistently demonstrated a capacity for institutional reform, legislative diplomacy, and inclusive policy engagement across regional and national platforms.
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