Category: Lifestyle

Planning a Family Vacation On a Budget: How to Create a Trip Kids and Adults Will Love

Is this a familiar scene? You are sitting at your dining table, surrounded by family and half-eaten pieces of chicken, likely thinking of bills that seem to be reproducing when you aren’t looking. Across from you, your seven-year-old is watching a YouTube video of a family at Disneyland, and your teenager is dropping not-so-subtle hints […]

Feasting on a Budget: 5 Tips For Feasting This Holidays Without Breaking The Bank

Have you ever gone to the market during the holidays? December 25th, January 1st, one word; extreme sports! Not because the market would be crowded, on the contrary, you’d have enough room, but the prices would make you reconsider your life’s choices. The truth is shopping some days earlier is only a little better, yet […]

How to Stop Lifestyle Inflation: 5 Habits to Avoid After a Salary Increase

The email you’ve been looking forward to all year finally drops. Your heart does a little jump. You read the words: “Congratulations,” “promotion,” “salary adjustment.” You’ve done it. You got the raise. That first salary alert hits, and you feel it; that beautiful, extra cushion; you’re “richer-ish.” You can finally breathe. You can finally get […]

The Ultimate Home Ownership Guide for Young Professionals in Nigeria

Let’s be real for a second. The phrase “rent is due” is probably one of the most stressful in the entire Nigerian-English vocabulary. For many young professionals in Nigeria, especially in places like Lagos, Abuja, or Port Harcourt, the dream of homeownership feels… well, like a dream. A far-off, expensive, and slightly impossible-sounding dream. We’re […]

Financial Wellness for Men: 3 Simple Habits to Improve Mental Health

Today is International Men’s Day, a day the world pauses to acknowledge some amazing people amongst us; men. We pause to acknowledge the positive value men bring to families, communities, and society. Equally importantly, it’s a day to shine a spotlight on the challenges men face, particularly around their health and overall well-being; and let’s […]

Sustainable Living in Nigeria: Everyday Choices That Save the Planet and Your Pocket

Let’s face it; living in Nigeria sometimes feels like an Olympic sport. Between high fuel prices, power outages, and the rising cost of everything, the struggle is real. But here’s the good part: living smarter, not harder, can save you money and help the planet. That’s the heart of sustainable living. It’s not about living […]

Why Every Nigerian Needs an Emergency Fund (And How to Start One Today)

Before diving into how to build an emergency fund, let’s clear up a common misconception: not everything urgent is an emergency. That 50% off sale at your favourite boutique? Not an emergency. Upgrading your iPhone 15 Pro to the 17 Pro Max? Also, not an emergency. Don’t worry, we’ll show you how to afford those […]

Black Tax in Nigeria: How to Manage Family Obligations Without Sacrificing Your Future

Picture this; you get your salary alert. That beautiful, glorious notification hits your phone. You smile. For a brief, shining moment, you’re king (or queen) of the world. Then, the second wave of notifications begins. “Mummy, my data has finished.” “Brother, I need to buy this textbook for my project.” “Sister, just small ₦20k to […]

7 Must-Use Features on the Alt Bank App for Smarter Banking in Nigeria

You know how we all download and set up our bank apps once we open a bank account, and so begins the funds transfers, airtime buying, and even bill payments, and it looks like that’s all the bank app has to offer, well that’s not the case with us at the Alternative bank. Banking today […]

New Year, Big Dreams? Let’s Talk About That Checklist!

Save 80% of my salary every month. Take a trip out of the country with my girlies. Read a book every week. Buy three properties in Lagos. Throw a birthday party that breaks the internet. Upgrade to the latest iPhone. Does this look like your New Year’s resolution? Or maybe something close? It’s that time […]

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Licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria 

The Alternative Bank is an independent financial organization in the Non-interest Banking (NIB) sector. If you receive services from, or if you have any other questions, please reach out to us via any of our contact channels. Registered address: 20 Marina, Lagos. Financial operations on the Alternative Bank is authorised and regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria. License to commence operations was granted in 2014. Trading and investment products provided by  the Alternative Bank is wholly owned.

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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.