Hadiza Mayaki Abubakar: Building Bridges Across Disciplines, Continents

Hadiza Mayaki Abubakar has joined the ranks of Nigerians flying the country’s flag high in foreign lands.

From the United Kingdom (UK) to the United States (US), she is expanding a landscape often defined by narrow specialisation.

Abubakar stands out for her synthesis of rigorous economic theory, practical financial intervention and a deeply human-centered mission. Her unique path from the halls of Nigerian academia to a pioneering research role in West Texas embodies a powerful conviction: that economic knowledge is only as valuable as its ability to tangibly improve lives.

What makes Abubakar truly unique is her deliberate, interdisciplinary bridge-building. Unlike many economists who remain within the realm of pure theory or policy, she has forged a career connecting disparate dots: between macroeconomic principles and personal budgeting, between administrative acumen and educational innovation, and between continents.

Her current role as a Research Assistant in peer financial coaching at Texas Tech University is the culmination of this journey. Here, she directly applies her expertise in R programming, data analysis, and econometrics to help students navigate debt, build budgets, and understand complex concepts such as compound interest. “The real test of economic expertise,” she asserts, “is whether it empowers someone to make a better decision tomorrow morning.”

Abubakar’s involvement in national and societal issues is rooted in this philosophy of accessible empowerment. Her early career in Nigeria, spanning over a decade and culminating in her rising to the office of Assistant Manager of Administration at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), honed her skills in communication and operational management—tools she now uses to translate economic complexity into actionable guidance.

She actively engages in broader national conversations on financial literacy through memberships in professional bodies such as the Texas Association of Collegiate Financial Education Professionals (TACFEP) and the American Council on Consumer Interests (ACCI).

Her salient work lies in this hybrid space: using quantitative analysis to measure the effectiveness of financial coaching interventions while ensuring each data point informs more empathetic and personalised support.

This commitment to holistic problem-solving defines her current pursuit of both an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies and a PhD in Economics at Texas Tech. “Economics divorced from empathy becomes mere abstraction,” she notes, “while empathy without economic understanding becomes mere sentiment.”

Her certifications in data visualisation and regression analysis, and awards such as Dean’s List recognition for FIRST Tech Challenge judging, underscore a profile dedicated to continuous learning and service.

Abubakar’s journey began with a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 2008. As Nigeria navigated complex economic challenges, she felt a growing disconnect between theoretical models and the financial struggles of everyday citizens.

This insight propelled her to a master’s degree at the University of Leeds, UK, in 2013, where her focus shifted toward the universal need for financial literacy.

This early recognition, that people needed actionable wisdom, not just theory, planted the seed for a career dedicated to building bridges between academic economics and human welfare, a mission she continues to advance one student, one research project and one life at a time.