BY Obinna F. Nwachukwu
Dr. Bayero Salih-Farah, FCILT, FInstTA, is the Director- General/ Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, Kaduna State with branches across the country.
He was born in Kagoro, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State on 11th March, 1964. He attended Kpak Local Education Authority Primary School from 1971 to 1976, Katsina Teachers College from 1976 to 1981 where he obtained his Teachers’ Grade 11 Certificate and later proceeded to Usman Dan Fodio University formerly University of Sokoto where he obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography in 1987.
Dr. Farah proceeded to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration in 1992 and another postgraduate Diploma in Transportation at the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, in 1995.
He returned to ABU, Zaria in 1995 for his Master’s in Business Administration, MBA, and through dint of hard work and resilience
obtained his PhD in Management and Business Studies with Specialization in Logistics and Freight Traffic Management from the prestigious University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom.
Dr. Farah started his working career with Dutsin-ma Local Government as a classroom Teacher in 1981 and later joined the National Population Commission as Census Cartographic Officer from 1992 to 1994.
He later took-up appointment with the Nigerian Institute of Transport
Technology (NITT), Zaria, as a Senior Staff Development Officer in 1994 and rose to the position of a director in 2013.
All through these years, Dr. Farah carved a niche for himself by discharging his responsibilities with due diligence, commitment, dedication and professionalism. Of particular note was his ability to increase the participation level of students in NITT training programmes, while serving as Director of Training.
Prior to that, Dr. Farah had supported past Chief Executives to huge
success in the administration of the Institute, where he served as Special Assistant to two former Chief Executives. Administratively, Dr. Farah has garnered a lot of experience and thus his management style is result- oriented, as he is a hands-on administrator.
An accomplished scholar and astute administrator, humble, gentle and
level-headed, Dr. Farah is renowned as a team player, a man of vision and a firm believer in teamwork.
Until his first appointment as Director General and Chief Executive on 13th January 2020, Dr. Farah was the Director of Training Department, NITT.
Within the short period of his assumption of office as Director- General and Chief Executive, he virtually transformed the whole Institute particularly in the areas of infrastructural development and expansion. He turned things around in NITT by mobilizing the staff towards repositioning the Institute, which is also in tandem with the policy objectives of the present administration of Renewed Hope Agenda.
He is currently working assiduously towards transforming the Institute in all angles, particularly with regard to infrastructure. In fact, those who have not been to the Institute for the past one year, may get lost, in view of the number of projects being executed, which is nothing short of shared ingenious initiative, good intentions and commitment to excellence.
Dr. Farah also deserves to be mentioned as one of the key drivers of
initiatives that support the improvement of skills of drivers in the country. To this end, his leadership is currently constructing Driver Development and Training Centres (DDTC) in Delta State, Ilorin in Kwara State and Zaria in Kaduna State for training of drivers across the country to improve safety and reduce carnage on the nation’s roads. Similarly, NITT Outreach Learning Centres in Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe and Kano States have been equipped and furnished to international standards, with work ongoing in several other states across the 6 geo-political zones.
His leadership secured approval for NITT to run MPhil/PhD in Transport
and Logistics in affiliation with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Importantly, Dr. Farah worked assiduously to ensure the accreditation of NVC, NID, ND and HND courses by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
He also spearheaded NITT’s current leading role in the conversion of
vehicles from petrol to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in the country.
Perhaps in recognition of his sterling track record, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu renewed his tenure as DG/CE for another 4 years, on the 13th of January, 2024.
In the course of his service, he attended many courses on transportation across many Countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. He is a distinguished Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT) and Fellow, Institute of Transport Administration (FInsTA), amongst others.
In addition to visiting many countries, Dr Bayero has led many teams of different segments of the Nigerian Transport and Logistics Industry to major transport and Logistics hubs in the United Kingdom and Malaysia.
In the last one year, NITT under his administration, has recorded major technological, infrastructural, and academic achievements shifting its focus toward a solutions-oriented hub. These notable milestones include:
Smart National Transport Databank: In June 2026, NITT officially signed a landmark Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with Asia Arab Investment Nigeria Limited (AAI) to launch the Smart National Transport Data Bank Project (SNTDP). Backed by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the project integrates data-driven tech to enhance national transport safety and operational efficiency.
CNG Conversion Hub: The Federal Government elevated NITT to a primary Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Autogas vehicle conversion center. The institute launched dedicated conversion centers in Abuja and Zaria alongside an online E-booking system to safely migrate petrol-powered vehicles to cleaner energy.
Indigenous Drone Development: Engineers at the NITT Transport Technology Centre successfully engineered and conducted live test flights of locally developed drones designed for logistics and surveillance.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Research: The institute successfully built locally produced electric tricycles (Keke) and progressed into electric car prototype research.
Maiden Convocation: In September 2026, NITT hosted its historic maiden convocation ceremony. Highlighting the prestige of the program, the Federal Ministry of Transportation promised automatic employment to the institute’s top graduates.
Higher Degree Affiliations: NITT expanded its academic parameters by securing National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) accreditation for ND and HND programs while partnering with Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, to offer MPhil and PhD programs in Transport and Logistics.
Global Strategic Alliances: The institute sealed major partnerships with the World Maritime University (Sweden) and the Transport Research Laboratory (UK) to ensure its curriculum meets global standards.
Paperless Administration: To foster digital efficiency, NITT implemented a 100% paperless internal administrative system across its communications channels
It is because of these and other numerous achievements that the Daily Newscraft Newspapers Editorial Board led by renowned technocrat, His Excellency, Ambassador Godknows Igali, PhD, OON, in consultation with the Editors, unanimously voted Dr. Bayero Salih-Farah as THE PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK. Congratulations.
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