Dr. Mairo Usman Mandara was appointed an Independent Non-Executive Director of First Bank of Nigeria Limited in 2025. She is a renowned Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Public Health Physician, and international development strategist with over three decades of experience spanning healthcare delivery, governance, education, and social development across Africa and beyond.
She combines her leadership in governance and development with academic contributions, serving as a visiting lecturer at the University of Maiduguri and an Associate Research Professor at the University of Health Sciences, Azare.
Before joining the Board of FirstBank, Dr. Mandara served as the Chief Adviser and Coordinator for Sustainable Development, Partnerships, and Humanitarian Support to the Governor of Borno State, where she led the design and implementation of long-term development frameworks and humanitarian response strategies. She was previously the Country Representative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Nigeria and has held senior advisory positions with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (UK), the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and USAID Nigeria.
Dr. Mandara is the Founder and Chairperson of Girl Child Concerns (GCC) and GCC Girls’ Academy, initiatives focused on empowering girls through education and life skills, particularly in Northern Nigeria. She has worked extensively with governments, traditional and religious leaders, and development partners to advance gender equity, health systems strengthening, and inclusive education.
She holds an MBBS degree from the University of Jos, Nigeria, and is a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons (Obstetrics & Gynaecology), the Faculty of Public Health (UK), and the Faculty of Education (Nigeria). Dr. Mandara is also an alumna of leadership programmes at Harvard and Oxford Universities. She enjoys mentoring young professionals, supporting social innovation, and promoting inclusive development across Africa.
