Dr Nathif Jama Adam occupation

Banker, Writer, politician

About Dr Nathif Jama Adam

Dr. Nathif Jama Adam is the current governor of Garissa County since 2013.

He previously served as a Senior Vice President and the Head of the Sharjah Islamic Bank's Investments & International Banking Division, and as the managing director of the First Community Bank.

He also co-authored the first book on sukuk investments. In March 2013, Adam was elected Governor of Garissa County.

Dr Adam hails from the Auliyahan subdivision of the SomaliOgadenDarod clan in northern Kenya.

For his post-secondary studies, he attended the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. Adam earned an MBA in International Trade from the institution. He also holds an Associateship of the UK Chartered Institute of Bankers.

Career profile

Mr Nathif is a veteran Islamic banker, with more than 30 years of career banking experience covering all aspects of retail, commercial, investment and Islamic banking.

He commenced his banking career at Kenya Commercial Bank in the early 80’s before proceeding in 1985 to join Al-Rajhi (Islamic) Bank in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where he held supervisory positions in the bank’s Trade Finance and Treasury departments.

In 1991, he joined Qatar Islamic Bank in Doha and worked there until 2002 when he left the bank in the capacity of Executive Manager in-charge of the bank’s huge cross-border investments in International Trade, Securities and Portfolio Management.

In 2002, he joined National Bank of Sharjah in the UAE to help in the conversion of that bank to become a full-fledged Islamic Bank, thereby becoming Sharjah Islamic Bank (SIB).

He initiated the formation of SIB’s Investment and International Banking Division and was responsible for all structured finance activities including Debt & Equity Finance, Syndications, Mutual Funds and Islamic Bonds (Sukuk).

At the time of his return to Kenya in October 2007, he was a Senior Vice President at Sharjah Islamic Bank, and was in charge of the bank’s overall investment portfolio in excess of US$ 600 Million (Kshs. 40 Billion).

He was the main promoter in the establishment of First Community Bank (FCB) and in 2007 he returned to Kenya to initiate FCB which became the first bank to be approved by the Central Bank of Kenya for Sharia Compliant Business.

He was the first MD of the bank which has since grown into a successful retail bank with 17 branches across the country in addition to Takaful and Investment banking activities.

Mr. Adam is a distinguished personality in the global Islamic finance fraternity and in March 2012 was crowned as the ‘father of Islamic Banking in Kenya’ at a grand function officiated by the governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, Prof. Njuguna Ndungu.

He has written many papers and articles covering various topical matters relating to the subject. He also co-authored the first book to be written on the subject of Islamic Bonds (Sukuk).

The book titled Islamic Bonds: Your Guide to Issuing, Structuring and Investing in Sukuk is published and marketed by Euromoney, UK. He has also been a resource person and a member of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Sukuk Development Task Force.

He is an invited speaker at all major international conferences on Islamic banking and finance and offers training on the subject as a visiting lecturer at a number of reputable international learning institutions.

In 2013, Adam ran for Governor of Garissa County. He was elected to the position on 10 March on a Wiper Democratic Movement ticket. In February of the year, Adam also became a member of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy.

The High Court later upheld his election victory in September 2013. In April 2014, acting on a petition by two plaintiffs citing voting irregularities, the Court of Appeal issued a directive nullifying the result.

The Supreme Court overturned the decision the following month, directed the court registrar to prevent the county's assembly speaker from occupying Adam's seat, and barred the IEBC from declaring the governorship vacant until Adam's appeal was heard and ruled within a two-month period.

On 9 July, the Supreme Court officially reinstated Adam as Governor of Garissa County.

Dr Nathif Jama Adam biography

Birth Name: Nathif Adam Jama

Birth Date:

Hometown:  Garissa, Kenya

Relationship:  Married

Dr Nathif Jama Adam Family

Wife: Amina Abdullahi

Dr Nathif Jama Adam education

Dr Nathif Jama Adam affiliation

Wiper Democratic Movement

Read: Garissa County | undefinedYusuf Haji