Engr. Sunusi Usman Dambatta is an engineer, administrator, agricultural development practitioner, and public servant with experience in water resources management, agricultural development, rural development, and public administration.
Born in 1956 in Dambatta, Kano State, he hails from Dambatta Local Government Area. He obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1969 and attended Rumfa College, Kano, where he completed his secondary education in 1974.
He studied at Kaduna Polytechnic from 1976 to 1980, where he obtained his engineering qualifications. He later undertook further studies at Loughborough University of Technology, United Kingdom, in 1986 and earned a Master’s degree from Bayero University Kano in 1995.
Engr. Dambatta began his career as a Technical Officer with the Water Resources and Engineering Construction Agency (WRECA), where he served from 1978 to 1988. In 1988, he became a Principal Engineer and was appointed Zonal Manager of the Gwarzo Zone in 1992.
In 1999, he was appointed Managing Director of the Kano Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA). During his tenure, the agency implemented agricultural and rural development programmes aimed at supporting farmers and rural communities in Kano State.
He also supervised and coordinated water infrastructure projects, including the Challawa Third Water Works in Kano State and the Wudil-Gaya Water Supply Scheme. He was involved in the redesign and implementation of water projects in Katsina State.
In the agricultural sector, he was associated with the establishment of a gum arabic plantation and vetiver nursery in Tukwi, the promotion of export crops, and the establishment of a sugarcane processing factory for the production of white and brown sugar. He also supported youth-focused programmes and facilitated irrigation loan schemes for farmers.
Over the course of his career, Engr. Dambatta received several recognitions, including an Award of Excellence from the National Body of the Agricultural and Allied Workers Union of Nigeria, recognition from the Kano State Council of the Nigerian Labour Congress, an award from the Nigerian Legion, and an award from the Nigerian Institute of Corporate Affairs.
In 2026, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) selected Engr. Sunusi Usman Dambatta as its candidate for the Kano North Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general election. He is expected to contest for the seat currently occupied by Barau Jibrin.
Engr. Dambatta has worked in engineering, agriculture, water resources management, and public administration in Kano State and beyond.
