Alhaji Ibrahim Ismail was born in Jigawa State. He began his career immediately after his call to the bar from a Legal Officer to a Principal State Counsel in Kano State Ministry of Justice. He served as the secretary and legal adviser of Kano State Urban Development Board now known as Kano State Environmental Protection Agency (KASEPA)

In 1984, he was appointed a member of Kano State Executive Council as a Commissioner of Home Affairs and Information and Education. In 1989, he was appointed Special Assistant to the erstwhile President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

Ibrahim Ismail is currently a Principal Partner in the Law Firm of Universal Chambers Abuja and serves as Director of the Board of People’s Media Ltd Telemax, Trusted Pharmacy of West Africa and Chairman of Kainji Aquaculture Resources Ltd.

He further enhanced and consolidated his knowledge of corporate governance by undertaking courses on governance: Effectiveness and Accountability in the Boardroom provided by North-western Kellogg and Making Corporate Boards More Effective from Harvard Business School. He currently serves as one of DANA’s Board of Governors.