Alternative Bank Management Academy (ABMA)

The Alternative Bank Management Academy

Where Leaders Emerge, Excellence is Shaped, and Careers Accelerate.

The inaugural ABMA cohort is now in session

Our Commitment to Growth

The Alternative Bank Management Academy (ABMA) is a bank-wide leadership development initiative designed to prepare future-ready leaders across all management levels and address gaps in Talent and Successor Readiness.

As our flagship initiative for leadership growth, ABMA is actively preparing the next generation of leaders today.

ABMA participants in a learning session

A Tailored Curriculum for Every Leader

The academy features a tiered curriculum tailored for each management level.

Bronze Accelerator

For Junior Management (ET – BO).

Silver Leader

For Middle Management (SBO – Manager).

Gold Legacy

For Senior Management (SM – DGM).

Professional learning environment

The ABMA Learning Experience

Our program is built on a blended learning approach, combining in-person, virtual, and self-paced modules to create a flexible and impactful experience.

  • Expert Facilitators: Learn from internal experts, senior leaders, and external partners.
  • Real-World Assessment: Engage in weekly presentations, projects, and job shadowing.
  • 360° Mentorship: Receive guidance from senior leader mentors and 360° feedback.

Key Outcomes for Participants

Graduates of the academy are positioned for significant career milestones.

Talent Review & Succession

Gain visibility in bank-wide talent reviews and succession planning.

Promotion Decisions

Be a top consideration for promotion decisions.

Performance Development

In-depth performance development planning.

Role Mobility

Receive priority consideration for new roles and stretch assignments.

Beyond Graduation: The Academy Alumni Circle

Certified leaders become part of a privileged alumni group with access to stretch assignments, transformation projects, alumni masterclasses, and continued mentorship.

Tell us your story

Select your OS

Find the perfect app version for your device by choosing your OS below. You will be redirected to your app store.

Abubakar Muhammad Musa

Summary

Abubakar Muhammad Musa is currently a Sharia Advisor and Consultant for SHAPE Knowledge Services a consulting firm based in Kuwait. He has been involved in product development, Sharia research and approval of Islamic banking products for different clients. His work covers retail banking, corporate banking and project finance deals.

Formerly, Abubakar worked as a Researcher in different units at International Shariah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Besides his primary assignments in ISRA, he taught Shariah Rules in Financial Transactions to Chartered Islamic Finance Professional (CIFP) Masters online Students of International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF), Malaysia. He also taught MBA and BBA Students different Islamic Banking and Finance Subjects at University College of Bahrain.

Abubakar holds two Diplomas with distinction, one in Islamic Law and the other in Arabic Language from Al-Imam University Riyadh. He also holds LLB (Hons) degree in Shariah from the same University. He successfully completed his (CIFP) Professional Masters Degree Programme at (INCEIF), Malaysia. He had his internship program on Islamic Banking & Finance at Fajr Capital in Kuala Lumpur. During the programme, Abubakar conducted research relating to product structuring and market development.

Abdurraheem Ahmad Sayi

Summary

Abdurraheem Ahmad Sayi is a legal practitioner and Consultant of over 16 years of active legal practice. He is currently the principal partner, A.A. Sayi & Co. (Qist Chambers) and Qadi, Independent Shari’ah Panel of Lagos State – a platform, through which he has delivered several judgments of in-depth analysis, widely applauded by leading legal and intellectual icons, including learned Judges, professors of law and Islamic Studies.

He is the Executive Director/C.E.O., ClearPath Islamic Centre (Incorporated), Lekki-Lagos and Chief Imam, SilverPoint Central Mosque, Badore, Ajah-Lagos. Fondly called Imam Sayi, Abdurraheem is the designate Chairman, Shari’ah Advisory Committee, Mutual Benefit Takaaful.

Imam Sayi has also authored a few works, some of which include: The Financial Obligations: a compendium of essays on monetary or material obligations under Islamic Law and Waqf (Charity Endowment): The Governing Principles.

He holds a Certificate on Improving Personal Effectiveness from the Lagos Business School (Pan African University) and he is a recipient of numerous awards and certificates of merits.

Abdulkader Thomas

Education:

Master of Arts Law and Diplomacy, The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy.

Bachelor of Arts Arabic & Islamic Studies, The University of Chicago.

Shariah Board Experience:

Bank Muscat Meethaq (2013 – 2017)

Sterling Bank Nigeria (Since 2013)

University Bank, USA (Since 2006)

Summary

Abdulkader Thomas has over 35 years of diversified financial services experience in major markets. With a Master of Arts Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy and a BA in Arabic & Islamic Studies from The University of Chicago. His areas of activity have included trade finance, real estate finance, securities and alternative finance.

As the general manager of a foreign bank branch in New York, he secured the first US regulatory approvals of Islamic mortgage and instalment credit/sale as banking instruments. Later, he secured US regulatory approval for profit sharing deposits. Abdulkader has been involved in the successful implementation of these products in the US market. With more than 17years Shariah Board Experience in Bank Muscat Meethaq, Sterling Bank Nigeria and University Bank USA, Abdulkader has worked on IFTA projects in Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, and an authority on Islamic deal structures and securities.

He also serves as a director of Alkhabeer Capital in Jeddah and Chairman of Alkhabeer (DIFC). He is a member of the international advisory board of the Securities Commission of Malaysia, a published author, and an active speaker on Islamic finance.