MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO
Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa (born 22 July 1955) is currently the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Housing Authority of Nigeria, appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2020. He was previously a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from Lagos State. Senator Ashafa was inaugurated as a second-term senator representing the Lagos East Senatorial District in the 8th senate (2015–2019) on 9 June 2015.
Ashafa is a member of the All Progressives Congress and serves as a member of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress as well as the Vice Chairman (South West) of the Southern Senators Forum.
Upon completing National Youth Service in 1980 at the Federal Ministry of Health, Ashafa commenced a career in public service as an administrative officer into the Lagos State Unified Local Government Service Commission. He rose to the rank of area officer in charge of the departmental tenders board and the Finance and General Purpose Committee.
In 1990, Ashafa left the public sector for French-Calahan Ventures Limited, which held majority shares in a state controlled cocoa processing plant. He worked as Purchasing Manager at the processing plant for six years until 1996. In 1996, Ashafa founded a company called Beverage Specialties Limited, manufacturers of Choco-Vita (a liquid vitality drink) and Cocoa-Vita (a powdered vitality drink). He sold the business in 1998.
Ashafa was elected to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the ACN candidate from Lagos East in April 2011. He won the election with 222,439 votes, 69% of votes cast. He was sworn in as a senator on 6 June 2011. In his first term, Ashafa the Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development. He was also a member of the following Senate committees: Environment and Ecology Committee, Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Relations, Gas Committee, and Senate Services Committee.