My Story
My name is Suleiman Isah, and I am a highly experienced IT professional with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Computer Science and Information Technology from Igbinedion University Okada, Edo State, Nigeria. Over the years, I have developed expertise in various areas, including Technology Modernization, Information Security, Digital Intelligence, Digital Marketing, and Network Administration.
I have received training from leading institutions, including Koenig Dubai, Entresoft India, Zoom Tech. India, MST Hyderabad, Crown Agents UK, and others. I hold certifications from renowned organisations such as Cisco Systems, Microsoft, EC-Council, RedHat, International Council of Management Consulting Institutes, International Business Management Institute, and more.
My professional journey began as a freelance IT consultant while in school, where I provided first-level support and maintenance to individuals and organisations. While still in school, I interned at First Bank of Nigeria Plc at their User Support Unit in Abuja, troubleshooting laptops, desktops, printers, VoIP equipment, and network devices.
After graduation, I continued offering my services to small businesses and individuals before proceeding to Hyderabad, India, for some professional courses. I obtained various certifications there, including Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional (MCITP), RedHat Certified Systems Administrator, RedHat Certified Engineer, and Certified Ethical Hacker.
Upon my return to Nigeria, I continued to offer consulting services and operate my urban poultry farm, expanding my service offerings to include areas such as workforce skills and technological infrastructure gap analyses, IT process reengineering and governance setup, risk management audit, and development of risk registers, among others.
I have also had the opportunity to work periodically during the annual Hajj operations for the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) as a Pilgrim Assistant and Medical Data Analyst. My role involved guiding Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and assisting the Nigerian Government in ensuring the stay of the pilgrims was comfortable. As a Medical Data Analyst, I was involved in recording health symptoms presented by patients at Nigerian Health Mission Clinics.
In 2012, I was recruited by the Federal Inland Revenue Service as an Information Technology Officer, where I worked on a range of projects such as participating in external independent Information Security Audit and penetration testing, designing and implementing enterprise-wide Information Security Awareness campaigns, and serving as Project Manager for Wide Area Network connectivity and Storage Area Network projects.
I moved from the ICT Governance Division to the Networks and Infrastructure Division, where I served as an Enterprise Network Administrator in charge of Local Area Networks for 197 offices across the federation. During this period, I supervised the deployment of Enterprise Wireless LAN in 104 FIRS offices nationwide, tested and certified network-related vendor deployments, and designed WAN connectivity solutions.
I was later appointed as Technical Aide to the Head of Networks and Infrastructure, overseeing the discovery of new technologies and working with vendors to carry out proof-of-concept projects.
After gaining valuable experience at the Federal Inland Revenue Service, I joined the Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority (UNRBDA) as a Special Assistant to the Managing Director on Technical Matters. The Authority, a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, optimises underground and surface water for human life and agricultural activities, particularly dry-season farming.
In this role, I was responsible for reviewing technical specification documents and making recommendations, scrutinising tender documents to ensure quality outcomes, overseeing modernisation projects (especially in information technology), building the capacity of the entire workforce, identifying ways to reduce spending and block financial wastage, researching and recommending alternative technologies to solve problems, and identifying development partners and establishing working relationships.
Currently, I serve as a special advisor on Digital Transformation and ICT for the Niger State Internal Revenue Service. My appointment aims to elevate the Service’s IT maturity and adoption to improve revenue collection and administration. I am passionate about leveraging technology to enhance service delivery, and I look forward to contributing my expertise towards achieving this goal.
I’ve had the chance to volunteer and make a difference. I helped plan and coordinate TEDxMinna in Nigeria as an organiser and curator. This included finding motivating speakers, organising logistics, and running the event smoothly. I volunteered as a Fate Foundation mentor. I helped budding entrepreneurs build business ideas and handle startup hurdles.
As a SCAF volunteer, I supported sickle cell disease patients, raised awareness, and advocated for better treatment and care. I observed my contributions improve the lives of others with this condition, which was rewarding. I also supported DevProNet’s goal as an IT volunteer.
I’ve helped individuals and improved the planet through these volunteer positions. These organisations motivated me to volunteer.