Early Life and Education
Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed was born in 1966 in Lafiagi town, located in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. He hails from a respectable family known for its modesty and community spirit. As a child, Mohammed showed great interest in educations and was always at the top of his class.
After completing his primary and secondary education locally, Mohammed gained admission to study Political Science at Bayero University, Kano. He graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor’s degree, obtaining first class honors. During his university years, Mohammed was actively involved in student politics and worked on several campaigns and causes related to promoting peace and unity in the country.
Career in the Foreign Service
In 1991, Mohammed joined the Nigerian Foreign Service after successfully passing the entrance exams and recruitment process. He started off as an Attaché at the Nigerian Mission to the United Nations in New York City. Over the next few years, he gained immense experience working on a variety of issues relating to international relations, world politics and development initiatives across Africa.
In 1996, Mohammed was promoted to the position of Second Secretary. He was then transferred to the Nigerian High Commission in London, UK where he served for three years handling diplomatic and economic engagements between Nigeria and Britain. His exemplary performance led to him being made First Secretary in 1999.
As First Secretary, Mohammed played a pivotal role in strengthening Nigeria-UK ties while also coordinating various workshops and exchange programs to foster cultural understanding. In 2002, he received his first posting as Consul and was appointed Head of Chancery at the Nigerian Consulate General in Johannesburg, South Africa. During his tenure, trade deals worth millions of dollars were signed benefitting both nations.
Mohammed’s dedication and leadership skills were recognized when he was selected to head the Nigerian Mission to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja in 2006 with the rank of Minister Plenipotentiary. In this position, he facilitated high-level discussions on issues like regional security, trade harmonization, infrastructure development and more. His solutions oriented approach greatly aided cooperation between member states.
Career Highlights as Ambassador
In 2010, Mohammed received his first stint as Ambassador when he was appointed to lead the Nigerian Mission to Indonesia. With the second largest Muslim population globally, building partnerships with Indonesia was of strategic importance. Under his guidance, agreements in areas like oil & gas, mining, agriculture and tourism were cemented.
After a hugely successful three year tenure in Jakarta, Mohammed returned to Nigeria in 2013 to take on the role of Director West Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He adeptly coordinated the ministry’s policies towards 15 West African countries and the ECOWAS bloc.
Two years later in 2015, Ambassador Mohammed was assigned his most prestigious diplomatic role to date – serving as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada based in Ottawa. During his five year term there, trade volumes doubled, investments poured in from Canadian pension funds and hundreds of scholarships were secured for Nigerian students to study in Canadian universities.
Mohammed wrapped up his illustrious diplomatic career with an encore as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Morocco from 2021 till earlier this year 2023. Key achievements were cementing the longstanding historical ties between both brotherly nations and attracting Moroccan capital into various sectors of the Nigerian economy like agriculture, mining, banking and infrastructure.
Appointment as Director General of NIA
Given his three decades of exemplary service to the Nigerian Foreign Service, it came as no surprise when in August 2023, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed was selected by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to helm the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) as its new Director General.
The NIA is Nigeria’s primary domestic intelligence and security agency responsible for gathering both foreign and domestic intelligence. As DG, Mohammed would be overseeing the agency’s operations nationwide and coordinating intelligence strategies with other security outfits. His extensive experience dealing with regional and global issues made him ideally suited to steer the NIA.
The appointment was widely lauded across diplomatic circles with many lauding Tinubu for picking such a seasoned, skilled and energetic leader to head a critical organization. With over 33 years under his belt navigating complex relationships across six continents, Mohammed brings unmatched international exposure and connectivity to the role.
Family Life
When not engaged in national and global affairs, Ambassador Mohammed cherishes spending quality time with his family back home in Lafiagi, Kwara State. He is married to Hajiya Bilkisu Mohammed and they are blessed with five children together – three daughters and two sons.
Mohammed’s deep family roots and upbringing in a culturally rich community have kept him grounded over the years despite his many foreign postings. He remains devoted to further developing his hometown and strengthening bonds between the various ethnic groups living harmoniously together in Edu Local Government Area.
On weekends and during holidays, Mohammed can often be found relaxing at his farm or attending traditional ceremonies and celebrations with extended family members. He also relishes home cooked local delicacies compared to international cuisine and takes pride in promoting Nigerian culture overseas.
Conclusion
In summary, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed’s journey from a small Kwara State town to heading Nigeria’s intelligence agency is a story of diligence, perseverance and exceptional public service. Despite holding the nation’s highest diplomatic roles across multiple continents, he has stayed humble with his feet firmly on the ground.
As the new Director General of NIA, Mohammed is well poised based on his experiences to strengthen Nigeria’s security apparatus. With his people-centric leadership style and commitment to cooperation, he can be trusted to uphold the duties of his office with utmost integrity, neutrality and respect for rule of law and human rights. Nigeria is indeed fortunate to have a seasoned diplomat of his caliber steering intelligence coordination at this critical period.
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Congratulation sir