Mallam Bashir Ahmad El-Rufai has been a Director and the Chairman of the Board of Directors for IHS Nigeria Limited since 2002, and was Chairman of the Board of Directors of IHS Towers from 2013 to 2019. Prior to IHS Nigeria Limited, Mr. El‑Rufai served with Kano State Oil & Allied Product Limited before joining Nigerian Cereals Processing Company Ltd as Assistant Production Manager and Group Marketing Manager. He served as Chief Commercial Officer for the Northern District of the Nigerian External Telecommunications Limited (NET) and held several positions at the Nigerian Telecommunications Ltd (NITEL).
He was Co‑founder and President of Nigeria’s first indigenous private telecom operator, Intercellular Nigeria Limited. Mr. El‑Rufai serves as Chairman of Intercellular Nigeria Plc and as Vice Chairman/Corporate Advisor of Intercellular/Sudatel (Nigeria) Limited. He has served as an Independent Director of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited and a Director of Kafal Pharmaceuticals Limited. Mr. El‑Rufai has also chaired several boards including Channel Distribution (an ICT company), MFB fertilizer and Chemical Co.Ltd. and Systemtech.