Jafar Abubakar Umar

Jafar Abubakar Umar is a seasoned public policy, investment promotion, and stakeholder engagement specialist with over a decade of experience advancing economic development through government relations, private sector engagement, institutional coordination, and strategic partnerships. His work focuses on strengthening policy frameworks, mobilising investment, promoting public-private collaboration, and supporting reforms that enhance Nigeria’s economic competitiveness and sustainable development.

As Director General of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG), Jafar provides strategic leadership in advancing agribusiness policy, investment promotion, and private sector participation in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation. He leads high-level engagements with government institutions, industry leaders, and development partners to address sectoral constraints, strengthen institutional collaboration, and unlock investment opportunities across the agribusiness value chain.

Among his notable contributions, Jafar spearheaded the inaugural Presidential Roundtable on Agribusiness, convening senior policymakers and industry stakeholders to advance national agribusiness priorities. He also led the establishment of the Policy Implementation and Analysis Fund (PIAF), mobilising over ₦150 million to support evidence-based policy implementation. In addition, he serves as Secretary to the NABG Board, coordinating governance processes, strategic deliberations, institutional reporting, and board-level engagement.

Jafar brings extensive experience engaging with key public institutions, including the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and state investment promotion agencies. His expertise encompasses political economy analysis, investment facilitation, stakeholder mapping, public-private dialogue, strategic communications, and institutional strengthening.

His professional experience also includes contributions to investment promotion initiatives supported by international development partners, including the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Through these engagements, he has supported stakeholder engagement strategies, investor relations, and capital mobilisation efforts exceeding US$200 million, demonstrating his capacity to connect policy priorities with investment opportunities and development objectives.

As a Board Member of FSM Consulting Limited, Jafar contributes strategic insight in public policy, agribusiness development, investment promotion, corporate governance, and institutional partnerships. His experience across government, business associations, and development initiatives strengthens the firm's capacity to support policy reform, facilitate investment, develop strategic partnerships, and deliver solutions that respond to complex economic and institutional challenges.

Combining strategic leadership with a collaborative, results-oriented approach, Jafar is committed to fostering productive partnerships between governments, private enterprises, and development institutions to advance inclusive economic growth, private sector development, and sustainable investment across Nigeria and the wider African region.