Early life and education
A Kanuri from Borno, not much is known about his early life. In 1980, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Warwick, and also received a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Cambridge.
In 1983, he was called to the Nigerian Bar after attending the Nigerian Law School.
In 1984, he obtained a master’s degree in law from the University of Cambridge.
He later attended the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland and participated in the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School, in 1992 and 1994, respectively.
In August 2015, Kyari was appointed Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari. Power politics Kyari was an influential figure within the Buhari administration. During the administration’s first term, he worked mainly behind the scenes to implement the president’s agenda. In 2019 with Buhari’s re-election for a second term, he ordered his cabinet to channel all requests through Kyari’s office.
Further enhancing his influence within government circles, and being labelled as the de facto head of government.
Kyari had worked as an Editor with the New Africa Holdings Limited, Kaduna Between 1988, and had served with the Borno State Executive Council as Commissioner for Forestry and Animal Resources in 1990.
He also worked as an Executive Director, Management Services, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and was appointed a Director of Unilever Nigeria Plc in 2002.
He served as Honorary Member of the Presidential Advisory Council on Investment in Nigeria between 2000 and 2005.
In 2019, following a leaked memo, Kyari became embroiled in a public argument with the Head of Civil Service] who was later removed from office and arrested. In 2020, in another leaked memo, Babagana Monguno the National Security Adviser accused Kyari of meddling in matters of national security.
He holds the Nigerian Honour Award of Officer of the Order of the Niger (O.O.N).
Kyari, who died after battling COVID-19, is survived by wife and four children.