Femi Hamzat Biography, Age, Career & Net Worth
Discover the full biography of Dr. Femi Hamzat — Deputy Governor of Lagos State, engineer, and technocrat born September 19, 1964. Career, family & net worth inside.
Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, popularly known as Femi Hamzat, is one of Nigeria’s most distinguished engineer-politicians. Born on September 19, 1964, in Lagos, he has served as the Deputy Governor of Lagos State since 2019, running alongside Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket. His career spans academia, private sector finance, information technology, and public administration.
What sets Hamzat apart from most Nigerian politicians is his deeply technical background. He holds a PhD from Cranfield University, England, and built a career across institutions like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and Columbia University before entering public service. As of 2026, he is widely seen as a frontrunner for the Lagos State governorship race ahead of the 2027 elections.
Quick Facts About Femi Hamzat
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kadri Obafemi Femi Hamzat |
| Date of Birth | September 19, 1964 |
| Age | 61 years old (as of 2026) |
| Place of Birth | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Profession | Politician, Engineer, Technocrat |
| Political Party | All Progressives Congress (APC) |
| Current Position | Deputy Governor, Lagos State |
| Spouse | Oluremi Hamzat |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | PhD, Cranfield University, England |
| Famous For | Lagos Deputy Governor, infrastructure development |
Early Life and Family Background
Femi Hamzat was born into a politically active and civically engaged family in Lagos. His father, the late Oba Mufutau Olatunji Hamzat, was a banker-turned-politician who served as a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and as Commissioner for Transportation between 1979 and 1983. He later became a traditional monarch and Lagos West Senatorial District leader of the Action Congress, a lineage that clearly shaped his son’s civic instincts.
His mother, the late Alhaja Kehinde Hamzat, hailed from Iga Egbe in Lagos State. Growing up in the heart of Lagos, young Femi was surrounded by public service values from an early age. The combination of royal heritage on his mother’s side and his father’s political engagement gave him a unique perspective on governance and community responsibility.
Education: From Mushin to Cranfield
Hamzat attended Odu-Abore Memorial Primary School in Mushin, Lagos State, for his foundational education. He then proceeded to Olivet Baptist High School in Oyo State for his secondary education — a school known for producing disciplined and academically strong graduates.
He went on to the University of Ibadan, where he earned a B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering in 1986 and a Master’s degree in Crop Processing Engineering in 1988. In 1992, he completed his PhD in System Process Engineering at Cranfield University in England, reportedly becoming the first student in his department to finish a doctorate within three years — a testament to his intellectual sharpness and work ethic.
Corporate Career: From Wall Street to Lagos
Before entering government, Femi Hamzat built a remarkable private sector career across multiple continents. He worked with RTP Consulting Services, the City of New York, Columbia University, Merrill Lynch Inc., and Morgan Stanley — all prestigious institutions that deepened his expertise in finance, systems engineering, and technology strategy.
He later returned to Nigeria and joined Oando Plc, where he served as Chief Information Officer and Group Head IT Strategist. This role placed him at the intersection of technology and business leadership, preparing him well for the institutional reforms he would later champion in Lagos State.
His transition from Wall Street to Lagos government was no accident. Governor Bola Tinubu personally recruited him from the private sector in the United States, specifically for his expertise in technology implementation — including the ORACLE enterprise system project for Lagos State.
Rise in Lagos State Government
In August 2005, Hamzat was appointed Commissioner for Science and Technology under Governor Bola Tinubu’s administration. In this role, he championed the automation of government processes and eliminated the longstanding problem of ghost workers through enterprise resource planning. His interventions modernized record-keeping across multiple ministries and made Lagos a more tech-driven state.
When Babatunde Fashola succeeded Tinubu as governor in 2007, Hamzat was retained — a sign of cross-administration trust. In 2011, he was appointed Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, a position in which he oversaw landmark projects including the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, Nigeria’s first cable-stayed bridge, and the expansion of approximately 50km of the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
In 2015, he was appointed Special Adviser on Works to the Minister for Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, extending his public service at the federal level. In September 2018, he resigned that role to contest the Lagos governorship, eventually stepping down in favour of Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the APC primaries and emerging as his running mate.
Deputy Governor of Lagos State
On March 10, 2019, following the general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Hamzat the Deputy Governor-Elect of Lagos State. He was sworn in alongside Governor Sanwo-Olu and has since served a second term after their re-election. He is widely regarded as the longest-serving deputy governor in Lagos State history.
Throughout his tenure, Hamzat has maintained a notably cordial working relationship with Governor Sanwo-Olu — a rarity in Nigerian governance, where governor-deputy tensions are common. President Tinubu has described him as a loyal and technically sound leader who continues to serve with dedication. As of April 2026, Governor Sanwo-Olu has formally endorsed Hamzat as the APC’s preferred gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 Lagos elections.
Personal Life
Femi Hamzat is married to Oluremi Hamzat, who has maintained a visible presence in public life through her role as wife of the Deputy Governor. Hamzat has frequently expressed affection for her publicly, particularly on social media during her birthdays, describing her in warm and faith-filled terms.
The couple has two children. Hamzat has consistently kept details about his children out of the public domain, drawing a deliberate line between his public career and his family’s private life — a posture that has earned him respect for discretion and personal boundaries.
Net Worth
Femi Hamzat has never made public statements about his personal finances. As a technocrat who held senior positions at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Oando Plc, and multiple high-ranking government roles over two decades, he is presumed to have substantial personal wealth. However, no verified net worth figure is available in the public domain, and any specific estimate would be speculative.
Awards and Recognition
In September 2013, Hamzat won the fifth Lagos State Man of the Year Award — recognition for his contributions to the state’s infrastructure and technology sector. His work on the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge and the Lekki-Epe Expressway remains among his most celebrated tangible legacies. He has also been praised by President Tinubu for demonstrating that a deputy governor can work harmoniously with a governor while carving out his own distinct identity and record of service.
Wrapping Up
Dr. Femi Hamzat’s story is one of disciplined expertise meeting public purpose. From completing a PhD in three years at Cranfield to automating Lagos’s government ministries and overseeing landmark infrastructure projects, he has consistently brought technical rigour to every role he has occupied.
As Lagos State looks toward 2027 and a new chapter of governance, Hamzat stands as a figure with both institutional knowledge and a genuine development record. Whether in government or boardroom, he has proven that engineering principles — precision, systems thinking, and long-term design — apply just as powerfully to leadership as they do to bridges and expressways.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who is Femi Hamzat? Dr. Femi Hamzat (full name: Kadri Obafemi Hamzat) is a Nigerian engineer, technocrat, and politician born on September 19, 1964, in Lagos. He has served as the Deputy Governor of Lagos State since 2019 alongside Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He is widely regarded as one of the most academically and technically accomplished figures in Lagos governance.
Q2: What is Femi Hamzat’s educational background? Hamzat holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Engineering from the University of Ibadan, and a PhD in System Process Engineering from Cranfield University, England (1992). He reportedly completed his doctorate in three years, ahead of schedule.
Q3: What is Femi Hamzat’s role as Deputy Governor? As Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Hamzat supports Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the administration of Nigeria’s most populous and economically significant state. He has also championed technology and infrastructure development throughout his time in office.
Q4: Who is Femi Hamzat’s wife? Femi Hamzat is married to Oluremi Hamzat. She plays a visible supporting role in his public life, and he has expressed admiration for her frequently on his social media platforms.
Q5: Is Femi Hamzat running for governor in 2027? Yes. As of April 2026, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has publicly endorsed Hamzat as the APC’s preferred candidate for the Lagos State governorship election in 2027. Hamzat has also been actively consulting with party stakeholders including the Chief of Staff to President Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Q6: What are Femi Hamzat’s major achievements? His key achievements include: modernizing Lagos State ministries through technology as Commissioner for Science and Technology; overseeing the construction of Nigeria’s first cable-stayed bridge (the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge); expanding the Lekki-Epe Expressway; eliminating ghost workers through enterprise resource planning; and serving as Deputy Governor for two consecutive terms since 2019.
Q7: What is Femi Hamzat’s net worth? No verified net worth figure has been publicly disclosed by Hamzat or official sources. Given his long career in global finance (Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch) and senior government roles, analysts assume he has significant personal wealth, but specific figures remain outside the public domain.
