On September 17, 2023, a few months after Ameen Amshi celebrated his 29th birthday, President Bola Tinubu appointed him as the Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties in the Office of the Vice President. He was among the youngest appointees in the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
Who is Ameen Amshi?
Born Musa Amshi Muhammad Al-Amin on March 13, 1994, his father is a retired civil servant from Bade ethnic group of Yobe State while his late mother, a lawyer, hails from Adamawa State.
He is a polyglot, speaking English, Kanuri, Arabic, Bade, and Mandarin Chinese.
Academic background
Amshi, who was trained as a petrochemical engineer in China, attended the Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Guangdong, and obtained a B.Eng. in Petrochemical Engineering in 2018. Before that, he had obtained Diploma in Chinese and Culture in Guangzhou City Construction College in 2014.
He enrolled for a postgraduate programme at the Nigerian Defense Academy, Kaduna, and obtained Master’s in International Affairs and Strategic Studies. At the time of publication, he is a PhD student of Public Governance and Leadership at the Tetfund Centre of Excellence, University of Abuja, Nigeria.
Career
Ameen Amshi professional career began at Sinopec Petroleum, China, as an Intern between 2017– 2018, where he performed a series of responsibilities, including coordinating with cross-functional teams to ensure the timely and accurate flow of design information to maintain client standards.
After his first degree, he returned to Nigeria for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps and he was posted to Office of the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor of Kaduna State on Skills Acquisition and Foreign Studies, where he served as the Personal Assistant to the SSA.
Other places he worked include:
- Special Adviser to the MD and Government Relations Officer, China First Highway Engineering Company, CFHEC, Abuja (January 2020 – February 2021)
- Communications/CSR Officer, ANOH Gas Processing Company, AGPC Limited (February 2021 – present)
- Special Assistant to the President on Special Duty (September 2023 – present)
Political journey
Amshi has been active in the political process of Nigeria even as an undergraduate. His political activities may have been influenced by the political dynasties he is surrounded with
For instance, the late Alhaji Dauda Birmah, a former presidential aspirant under the defunct ANPP and Minister of Education was his grandfather; his paternal uncle, Alhaji Ahmed Amshi, is the chairman of the Nigerian National Assembly Services Commission, while one of his nephews Senator Muhammad Sanusi Daggash was a former Minister of Works and National Planning. Also, he is a mentee and senior member of Senator Kashim Shettima political dynasty.
He was an active member of the the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and presently one of the leading voices of the youth wing of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
He was the leading aspirant for the position of National Youth Leader of APC in 2022, before stepping down for Dayo Israel, a candidate from the South-West geopolitical of Nigeria.
He was also a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2023 Elections, where he actively engaged in mobilizing for the ruling party across Nigeria.
Certifications
Ameen Amshi has various certifications, ranging from safety to risk assessment, some of them include:
- Diploma in Leadership and Management Style/Administrative Support (2022)
- Certificate in Counter Terrorism, Institute of Security and Strategic Studies (2022)
- Self-leadership development/Communicating Collaboratively (2022)
- Hazard Recognition and Risk Assessment Certificate in Intelligence, Institute of Security and Strategic Studies (2022)
- Effective Leadership Skills and Strategies (2022)
- AGPC 2022 Corporate Governance Certification Training (2022)
- Quality Assurance & Quality Control (QAQC) (2021)
- Understanding the Natural Gas Value Chain End to End, NGA Learning Solutions (2021)
- The Process Engineering & Operations Technical Training Course for Graduate Trainees (2021)
Professional membership
He is a member of the Nigerian Gas Association and Corporate Member of Energy Institute, UK. Other include:
- International Association of Engineers
- The Nigerian Society of Engineers
- The Society of Petroleum Engineers
- Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN)
Awards and Recognition
- 3rd Prize, GUPT 1st International Student Chemical Competition
- 5th Prize, 8th Guangzhou Friendship Games 2013 (Tennis)
- Most Influential Youths in Northern Nigeria 2023
Amshi is married and his marriage is blessed with a child.