By Achile Danjuma
The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has appointed Sa’id Alkali Kori as his Chief Investment Adviser and Pioneer Chairman of the newly constituted Governing Board of the Borno State Investment Promotion Agency, a move that brings one of Nigeria’s most experienced infrastructure finance experts into the heart of the state’s economic reconstruction efforts.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dauda Iliya, on Thursday, stated, “Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the appointment of Dr Sa’id Alkali Kori as the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of Borno State Investment Promotion Agency.
“Kori is a consummate entrepreneur and investment and infrastructure finance expert. He holds a PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences with a focus on Intellectual Capital from the University of London, United Kingdom.
“He serves as the Honorary Special Adviser on International Relations and Investment to the Governor of Yobe State and is the Technical Adviser to the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum.
The Group Head, Corporate Affairs and Strategy at Thinklab Group, Fauziya Nasir, in a separate statement made available to newsmen on Friday, confirmed that Zulum announced the appointment in Maiduguri on Thursday.
According to the statement, the appointment follows the recent enactment of the Borno State Investment Promotion Agency (Amendment No. 1) Law, 2026, by the State House of Assembly, which establishes a governing board for the agency and positions it as the central driver for attracting investments and fostering public-private partnerships across the state.
The statement read, “Kori is the Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer of Thinklab Group Limited, a leading innovation and development finance firm through which he has structured over $200 million in infrastructure financing across housing, healthcare, and road networks.
“His previous role as General Manager of Projects at Family Homes Funds Limited saw him negotiate more than $100 million in multilateral financing and deliver over 15,000 affordable housing units through innovative public-private partnership models deployed across the nation.
“The appointment is widely seen as a strategic fit for Borno State, which is navigating the complex transition from post-conflict recovery to sustainable economic development. Dr Kori’s expertise in structuring blended finance transactions and mobilising capital from development finance institutions aligns directly with the state’s urgent infrastructure and housing needs, while his experience across 34 countries provides the global perspective required to attract international investors to the region.”
“Beyond his corporate roles, Dr Kori serves as Honorary Special Adviser on International Relations and Investment to the Yobe State Governor and Technical Adviser to the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum, giving him a valuable regional perspective on the cross-border economic dynamics that shape Borno’s position within the broader Lake Chad Basin.”
Kori also chairs the Board of the Nigeria Food Corporation, a strategic investment holding company overseeing agro-food industries in Northeast Nigeria.
His academic credentials include a PhD in Built Environment with specialisation in Innovation Economics from the University of Liverpool, an MSc in Digital Construction from the University of Salford in the United Kingdom, and a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the Federal University of Technology, Yola.
Industry recognition for his work includes the African Construction Personality of the Year 2024 award and multiple corporate excellence honours for Thinklab Group, underscoring his impact at the nexus of development strategy, investment finance, and execution.
“The newly constituted governing board he will chair includes representatives from ten key ministries and agencies including Commerce, Trade and Industries; Borno State Geographic Information Service; Works; Housing and Energy; Justice; Agriculture and Natural Resources; Livestock; Planning; Finance; and Local Government and Emirate Affairs, each represented by an official not below the rank of director serving as an ex-officio member.
“The board also includes three representatives from the state’s three senatorial zones, with one seat reserved for a woman, and two representatives from the organised private sector, while the Director-General of BOIPA will serve as secretary to the board”, the statement added.