Abukar M. Abdirahman is the budget director for the OCFO’s Economic Development and Regulation Cluster. He manages budget operations for the cluster’s 20 agencies, which have a combined operating and capital budget of more than $1.5 billion and 1,200 FTEs.  

Joining the OCFO in 2004, Abdirahman started as a grants analyst at DC Public Schools and was promoted to senior budget analyst in charge of financial reporting and data integrity. He was recognized for using data analytics to identify cost-savings of more than $4 million. Later, he served as the budget officer for the DC Department of the Environment where he helped design and implement internal controls that removed the agency’s at-risk designation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Prior to joining the District government, Abdirahman served in various financial and grants management capacities in governmental and non-governmental organizations in the United Kingdom.

He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Hull, United Kingdom, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. He is a certified government financial manager, certified fraud examiner, and a certified internal control auditor. He is also a member of the Government Finance Officers' Association, Association of Government Accountants, and the Institute of Internal Control Auditors.