Ballard Partners, an international governmental affairs firm, has named Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the former Minister of Information and Culture, as the Managing Partner of its first African office.
According to a statement issued by the firm and made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, Mohammed will serve as Managing Partner of its newly opened Abuja office and its satellite office in Lagos.
Ballard Partners, headquartered in Washington, DC, specialises in all aspects of governmental and public affairs, including legislative and executive agency advocacy.
Brian Ballard, the firm’s president, and founder, said in a statement that they were opening their first African office in Nigeria to expand the firm’s international footprint to three continents.
He stated that the opening of the office would also help to build on the important work they had done on behalf of African nations and companies in Africa and the United States.
Regarding the former minister’s selection, Ballard stated that Lai Mohammed “has a long record of public service and is one of the country’s most respected officials.”
“His outstanding reputation and exceptional experience will be invaluable to our firm,” the company says.
Since the establishment of Nigeria’s fourth republic in 1999, Lai Mohammed has served as Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and as Governor of Lagos, according to Ballard.
Mohammed was also the National Spokesperson for the Opposition from 2005 to 2015 and ran for Governor of Kwara State in the 2003 General Elections, according to him.
The statement also expressed the former minister’s joy at accepting the international position.
“I am very pleased to join Ballard Partners and to open the firm’s first office in Africa,”
“Ballard Partners has an impeccable reputation internationally and is well known for its success representing African countries and American firms in Africa.
“The opportunities in Nigeria are significant, and I look forward to assisting the firm’s clients in achieving their goals,” Mohammed said.
Lai Mohammed, who was born in Oro, Kwara State, earned a second-class upper honours degree in modern European languages (majoring in French) and law.
He was admitted to the Nigerian bar in 1986.
The former Minister has also received a number of diplomas from around the world, including the Diplomas d’Etudes Francaise 3ieme Degree from both Dakar, Senegal, and Vichy, France.