Dr. Faisal Shuaib is one of Nigeria’s most decorated public health figures. A medical doctor, epidemiologist, and emergency response expert, he served as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) from January 2017 to October 2023. He is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Institute of Global Health at University College London, and the CEO of the DFS Foundation for Vulnerable Women and Children.
Dr. Faisal Shuaib Profile
| Name | Dr. Faisal Shuaib |
| Real Name | Faisal Shuaib |
| Date of Birth | 15 August |
| State of Origin | Nasarawa State |
| Tribe | Hausa |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Occupation | Doctor and Politician |
| Religion | Islam |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Net Worth | $200,000 |
| Copied from | contents101.com |
Educational Background
Shuaib completed his undergraduate medical training at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) in 1992. He later obtained a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Lagos in 1998. In 2020, he earned a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the United States, graduating with distinction. He also worked as a Research Associate at the same institution during his doctoral studies.
Career
Dr. Shuaib began his career at the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health, where he rose to the position of Director of Primary Healthcare and Disease Control. He also served as State and Zonal Coordinator for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Nasarawa and across the North Central Zone of Nigeria.
His national visibility grew significantly in 2014 when he was appointed Incident Manager and Head of the Nigeria Ebola Emergency Operations Centre (EEOC). The Ebola outbreak that year devastated much of West Africa, claiming over 11,000 lives across the region. Shuaib led a team of more than 1,000 healthcare workers and volunteers, establishing a comprehensive system for the diagnosis, treatment, isolation, and follow-up of patients and their contacts.
Nigeria’s response was widely praised internationally on October 20, 2014, the WHO declared Nigeria Ebola-free, and Shuaib’s leadership was cited as central to that success. He was also named to a six-member WHO panel established to review the global response to the outbreak.
Before his NPHCDA appointment, he worked as a Senior Programme Officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, USA, where he was responsible for polio surveillance and outbreak response across Africa. During this period, he developed AVADAR, the Auto-Visual AFP Detection and Reporting Application an SMS-based smartphone tool that quadrupled the rate of detection of polio-like cases across the continent. The app was later adapted for COVID-19 reporting and incorporated into a broader multi-disease detection platform known as SORMAS.
His other achievements at the NPHCDA include a comprehensive assessment of over 25,000 primary healthcare centres across Nigeria, a nationwide Human Resources for Health Profiling exercise, the recruitment of over 3,000 healthcare workers, and the development of a PHC information management system. He was removed from the NPHCDA in October 2023 following President Bola Tinubu’s assumption of office.
After leaving office, he transitioned into academia and philanthropy. He became an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Institute of Global Health, University College London, and founded the DFS Foundation for Vulnerable Women and Children. He is also a reviewer for several peer-reviewed international scientific journals and has authored or co-authored over 70 scientific publications.
In April 2026, Dr. Shuaib declared his intention to contest the APC governorship primary in Nasarawa State ahead of the 2027 elections, positioning himself as a technocratic alternative to career politicians. He launched his campaign in Akwanga LGA to an enthusiastic reception from community groups, women’s organisations, and youth leaders. However, following a consultative meeting convened by Governor Abdullahi Sule, Shuaib formally withdrew from the race and declared support for the governor’s preferred successor, Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada.
Controversies
During Dr. Faisal Shuaib tenure as Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), critics occasionally questioned the pace of vaccine distribution, healthcare funding gaps, and the condition of many rural primary healthcare centres across Nigeria. Supporters, however, argued that many of those structural problems predated his appointment and required broader government reforms beyond one agency.
He also faced public scrutiny during the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, when some Nigerians expressed frustration over vaccine availability, registration challenges, and delays in accessing doses. Shuaib frequently appeared in the media to defend the process and reassure citizens about vaccine safety and distribution plans.
In politics, his 2026 withdrawal from the Nasarawa State governorship race sparked mixed reactions. While supporters praised the move as disciplined and loyal to party leadership, critics claimed it reflected undue pressure from political stakeholders and highlighted the influence of godfatherism in party politics.
Dr. Faisal Shuaib Social Media Handle
https://www.facebook.com/p/Dr-Faisal-Shuaib-100086219513163
Personal Life
Dr. Faisal Shuaib was born in Nasarawa State and he comes from the Akwanga Local Government Area. He is married and blessed with children.
Dr. Faisal Shuaib Net Worth
Dr. Faisal Shuaib’s net worth is estimated to be around $200,000.