Halima Tayo Alao (born 6 December 1956) is a

Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was derived from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jo ...

architect and former Minister of Environment and Housing during President

Umaru Yar'Adua Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (; 16 August 19515 May 2010) was a Nigerian politician who served as the president of Nigeria from 2007 until his death in May 2010. He won the Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 Ma ...

's administration.

Early life and education

Halima Tayo Alao was born on 6 December 1956. She had her primary and post primary education in

Kano state Kano (Hausa language, Hausa: ) is one of the 36 States of Nigeria, states of Nigeria, located in the Northern Region, Nigeria, northern region of the country. According to the national census done in 2006, Kano State is the List of Nigerian st ...

and earned a B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc. (Architecture) from the

Ahmadu Bello University The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) is a public research university located in Zaria, Nigeria, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. It was opened in 1962 as the University of Northern Nigeria. The university has four colleges, three schools, 18 faculties, ...

Zaria Zaria is a List of Nigerian cities by population, metropolitan city in Nigeria, located at present time within four local government areas in Kaduna State. It serves as the capital of the Zazzau Emirate Council and is one of the original sev ...

in 1981 as well as a master's degree in public administration in 2003 from the

University of Ilorin University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) is a federal government-owned public research university in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. The university's main campus sits on an expansive area of land, about 5,000 hectares in the ancient city of Ilorin; making ...

. She attended the Advanced Management and Leadership Programme of

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

Business School and is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Architects.

Career

Alao joined the

Kwara State Kwara () is a state in Western Nigeria, bordered to the east by Kogi State, to the north by Niger State, and to the south by Ekiti, Osun, and Oyo states, while its western border makes up part of the international border with Benin. Its ca ...

civil service in 1982. She became a Permanent Secretary in the

ministries of Lands & Housing, then Works and Transport. Prior, she was sole administrator/Chairman

Ilorin South Ilorin South is a Local Government Area in Kwara State, Nigeria. Established in 1996, its administrative headquarters is located in the town of Fufu. The LGA comprises three districts and includes 11 wards. It has an area of 174 km and a ...

Local government and Executive Secretary, Kwara State Commission for Women. From June 2005 to June 2006, she was Federal Minister of State for Education and later, Federal Minister of State for Health. She was appointed to the board of the UACN Property Development Company Plc on 13 January 2010 as a non-executive director. She resigned from the board in 2019

Minister of Environment and Housing

Alao was appointed Minister of Environment and Housing on 26 July 2007 by President Umaru Yar'Adua. but was dismissed in a major cabinet reshuffle on October 29, 2008. The dismissal was said to have been due to her constant arguments with Chuka Odom, minister of state and representative of the

Progressive Peoples Alliance The Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) is a political party in Nigeria. The party won gubernatorial elections in 2003 and 2007 in Abia State. The party also won the governorship election in 2007 in Imo State. The Governor of Abia State is Chie ...

. Her replacement was

John Odey John Ogar Odey (1 November 1959 – 7 October 2018) was a Nigerian politician who served as minister of information and communications in July 2007 and became minister for environment in December 2008 after President Umaru Yar'Adua reshuffled ...

, appointed on 17 December 2008.

Former Minister Leaves Board of UACN Property

After serving on the board of UACN Property Development Company Plc for over nine years, Mrs Halima Alao, a former Minister of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, has called it quit with the company. Mrs. Alao, an Architect of high reputation in

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

, tendered her resignation to the board, which has been accepted. She joined the board on January 13, 2010, as a non-executive director.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alao, Halima Tayo Education ministers of Nigeria Environment ministers of Nigeria Federal ministers of Nigeria Health ministers of Nigeria Housing ministers of Nigeria Living people 1956 births Nigerian civil servants Nigerian women civil servants Ahmadu Bello University alumni Place of birth missing (living people) Nigerian women architects 20th-century Nigerian architects 21st-century Nigerian architects 21st-century Nigerian politicians 21st-century Nigerian women politicians Women government ministers of Nigeria University of Ilorin alumni