The Accidental Public Servant
Nasir El-Rufai is a prominent Nigerian leader who in the past served as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja as well as Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises.  As a prolific opinion columnist and public policy advocate, El-Rufai has become well known as one of the country's most outspoken voices on issues of governance, leadership, transparency, and social justice. El-Rufai studied at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, University of London, Harvard Business School, Arthur D. Little School of Management in Massachusetts, Georgetown University School of Foreign Services in Washington, D.C. and the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. He holds a first class honours degree in Quantity Surveying (1980), a Masters Degree in Business Administration (1984), a Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science (1985), a Bachelor of Laws (2008), Master of Public Administration (2009), and has attended several programs on Privatization and Leadership.  In 2005, he was conferred D.Sc (honoris causa) by the University of Abuja, Nigeria. Before entering the public service, El-Rufai ran a successful consulting practice, El-Rufai & Partners, between 1982 and 1998. He also held management positions with two international telecommunications companies, AT&T; Network Systems International BV and Motorola, Inc.  In October 2001, he was conferred a national honour, OFR (Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) by the Federal Government of Nigeria. El-Rufai lives in Abuja, Nigeria, and is happily married with children.