Alhaji Huudu Yahaya Iddrisu

Profile

Alhaji Huudu Yahaya Iddrisu is a distinguished lawyer, public servant, and statesman with over four decades of leadership experience spanning law, governance, energy, and public administration. He has served the Republic of Ghana with distinction in both political and corporate roles, bringing to the Board a wealth of strategic insight, institutional memory, and a deep understanding of governance and policy.
His appointment as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) reflects his longstanding commitment to public service, integrity, and effective leadership. In this role, he provides strategic direction and oversight for Ghana’s petroleum downstream regulatory framework. A lawyer by profession and Senior Partner at Opoku & Associates, Alhaji Iddrisu specializes in corporate, commercial, natural resource, and labour law, with extensive experience in arbitration and mediation.
Alhaji Iddrisu previously chaired the Boards of Ghana Grid Company Ltd Feb 2014–Jan 2017 and the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) (2009–2014), where he provided decisive leadership in Ghana’s energy infrastructure development, policy oversight, and corporate governance. He has also served on several national and regional boards, including the Ghana Shippers Authority and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.
A seasoned public administrator, he held several ministerial portfolios under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) and the Fourth Republic, including Secretary of State (Minister) for Trade and Tourism (1990–1992) and Secretary of State (Minister) for Mobilisation and Social Welfare (1988–1990), and was Regional Minister for the Northern Region (1982–1988). In these capacities, he championed economic reforms, industrial relations, cooperative development, and rural transformation initiatives that contributed significantly to Ghana’s social and economic advancement.
Beyond government service, Alhaji Iddrisu has played a prominent role in Ghana’s political development, serving as General Secretary (1992–2002), National Vice Chairman (2002–2014), and Member of the Council of Elders (2015–Present) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He was instrumental in shaping Ghana’s democratic transition and party institutionalization during the early years of the Fourth Republic.
Alhaji Iddrisu holds a Barrister-at-Law (BL) from the Ghana School of Law, an MBA from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), and dual Master’s degrees in International Relations and Public Administration from Syracuse University, USA. He also holds a B.Sc. (Biology) and a Diploma in Education from the University of Cape Coast, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute (UK).
A member of the Ghana Bar Association and the Chartered Insurance Institute (UK) amongst others, Alhaji Iddrisu is widely respected for his statesmanship, integrity, and unwavering dedication to public service excellence. He is also a keen environmentalist who enjoys nature walks, reflecting his deep appreciation for the natural environment and sustainable living.