The newly appointed Special Adviser to the President on Political Economy, Bala Bello, has assured President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of his loyalty and commitment to professional service in his new role.
In a statement expressing gratitude for the appointment, Bello thanked the president for the opportunity to serve and pledged his support for the administration’s Renewed Hope agenda.
Before his new appointment, Bello served as a Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). His move to the presidential advisory role is part of a broader restructuring of the government’s economic management team.
Reacting to his appointment, Bello expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for first giving him the opportunity to serve at the CBN in 2023 and for again entrusting him with a new responsibility.
“I am grateful to President Tinubu for appointing me to the Central Bank of Nigeria and giving me the privilege to serve for the past 30 months. I am even more grateful that he has now found me worthy to serve as Special Adviser on Political Economy,” he said.
Bello noted that his new position would allow him to work more closely with the president and contribute more effectively to the administration’s reform agenda.
According to him, the role places him in a strategic position to support the government’s ongoing political and economic reforms.
“This role places me in a position to work even more closely with the President and contribute more meaningfully to the bold political and economic reforms being implemented by the administration,” he added.
He also assured the president that he would approach the assignment with professionalism and loyalty.
“I assure the President that I will continue to serve with professionalism and loyalty,” Bello said.
Prior to joining the CBN, Bello had built a strong career in development finance and public sector banking. He served as Executive Director at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank) from April 2017 until September 2023 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In September 2023, President Tinubu appointed him Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Bello was also involved in the political mobilisation leading up to the 2023 general elections. He was among those who advocated for the rotation of presidential power to southern Nigeria after Buhari’s eight-year tenure.
During the 2023 campaign, he worked with the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council. Within the council, he served in the Logistics and Support Services Directorate led by Ibrahim Masari, now Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, as well as the Stakeholder Engagement Directorate headed by Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s current National Security Adviser.
With his new appointment as Special Adviser on Political Economy, Bello is expected to provide strategic guidance that connects political considerations with economic policy as the administration continues to pursue its reform agenda.
