Samaila Zubairu

Samaila Zubairu is a Nigerian infrastructure-development-finance executive who has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Finance Corporation since July 2018. His earlier senior positions included chief executive of Africapital Management Limited and pioneer chief financial officer of Dangote Cement Plc.

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About Samaila Zubairu

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

Nigeria · Infrastructure development finance executive, Chief executive officer · 3 affiliations

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Also known as: Samaila D. Zubairu
Known for: African infrastructure finance; Project finance and infrastructure investment
Country: Nigeria

Infrastructure development finance executive
Chief executive officer

At a glance

Zubairu became the third President and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Finance Corporation on 2 July 2018 and remained identified in that role in AFC materials published in 2026.
Before leading AFC, he was chief executive of Africapital Management Limited and pioneer chief financial officer of Dangote Cement Plc.
His reported earlier work included developing a Nigerian infrastructure investment fund and arranging project finance for Dangote Cement.
He holds an accounting degree from Ahmadu Bello University and is identified by AFC as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

Leadership of Africa Finance Corporation

AFC appointed Zubairu as its third President and Chief Executive Officer on 2 July 2018, succeeding Andrew Alli. AFC's management page and institutional announcements published in April and May 2026 continued to identify him in that position. In April 2026, he signed a host-country agreement with Kenya establishing AFC's first regional office in Nairobi.

Earlier finance and investment career

Before joining AFC as president, Zubairu served as chief executive of Africapital Management Limited, where AFC says he worked with African Infrastructure Investment Managers to develop the Nigerian Infrastructure Investment Fund 1. He had previously been pioneer chief financial officer of Dangote Cement, a role in which AFC says he launched a syndicated project-finance facility and managed the unbundling of Dangote Industries Limited into listed subsidiaries.

Education and professional standing

Zubairu holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University. AFC also identifies him as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. These credentials accompany a career focused on project finance, infrastructure investment and the management of development-finance institutions.

External institutional role

An AFC announcement says Zubairu served as the second chairperson of the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions following its establishment in 2024 and completed his term in 2026. AFC's management biography still describes him as chair, however, so that biography appears not to reflect the subsequently announced leadership change.

Affiliations

Africa Finance Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer 2018-07-02–present
Africapital Management Limited Chief Executive Officer
Dangote Cement Plc Pioneer Chief Financial Officer

Timeline

2018-07-02 AFC announced Zubairu's appointment as its third President and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Andrew Alli.
2026-02-14 At the ninth AAMFI Governing Council meeting, Corneille Karekezi was appointed to succeed Zubairu as chairperson; AFC described Zubairu as having completed his term.
2026-04-23 Zubairu signed AFC's host-country agreement with Kenya establishing AFC's first regional office in Nairobi.

Additional verified details

Current context

Zubairu remained identified as President and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Finance Corporation in AFC materials published in April and May 2026 and on AFC's management page.
The World Economic Forum lists Zubairu as an Agenda Contributor and identifies him as President and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Finance Corporation.

Biographical facts

Zubairu holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University.
Africa Finance Corporation identifies Zubairu as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
At Africapital Management Limited, AFC says Zubairu partnered with African Infrastructure Investment Managers to develop the Nigerian Infrastructure Investment Fund 1.
In his Dangote Cement role, AFC says Zubairu launched a syndicated project-finance facility and managed the unbundling of Dangote Industries Limited into listed subsidiaries.
An AFC announcement states that Zubairu served as the second chairperson of the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions after its establishment in 2024 and completed that term in 2026.