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The Federal Government has appointed Professor Nasir Naeem Abdulsalam as the new Managing Director of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL), marking a significant step in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s ongoing efforts to revive Nigeria’s long-dormant steel sector....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>
Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, formally presented the letter of appointment to Prof. Abdulsalam on Monday, April 7, 2025, at a handover ceremony in his office in Abuja, where the outgoing Acting Sole Administrator, Engr. Kanwai Joseph, officially passed on the leadership mantle.
Prof. Abdulsalam, a Professor of Geophysics and former Technical Adviser to the Minister, takes over at a critical time as the government intensifies efforts to resuscitate the steel complex under the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Tinubu.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Audu expressed confidence in the new MD’s capability to drive the vision of Ajaokuta’s revival. “I congratulate the newly appointed Managing Director of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited, Prof. Nasir Naeem Abdulsalam, a seasoned academician and someone well-acquainted with the steel sector. Reviving Ajaokuta Steel Plant is a collective project that requires all hands on deck,” he said.
He commended the outgoing Sole Administrator, Engr. Kanwai Joseph, for his dedicated service spanning nearly 35 years, during which he rose through the ranks to lead the plant in the last six months.
The Minister reiterated that plans to bring the steel plant back to life are progressing steadily. He recalled that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Moscow in 2023 with the original equipment manufacturers of the plant, paving the way for a technical and financial audit ahead of planned privatization.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chris Osa Isokponwu, also congratulated the new MD, acknowledging the huge task ahead but assuring him of the Ministry’s support. “You are facing a challenge of over 45 years, but you have a Minister who is fully committed to Ajaokuta’s success,” he stated.
In his acceptance speech, Prof. Abdulsalam expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the trust reposed in him and to the Minister for the opportunity to previously serve in an advisory role. “Our fundamental goal is to work together to realise Mr. President’s vision for the revival of Ajaokuta Steel Plant. I am fully prepared to deliver on this mandate,” he affirmed.
Engr. Kanwai Joseph, in his farewell remarks, lauded the Minister’s decision to re-engage the plant’s original builders as “the most strategic move” in his decades-long service. “Had this been done earlier, Ajaokuta would have been revived long ago,” he noted.
The new appointment is expected to inject renewed momentum into the federal government’s efforts to reposition Ajaokuta as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s industrial development…CONTINUE READING>>
