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Humza Yousaf Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth7 April 1985

Age38 Years

BirthplaceGlasgow, Scotland

ProfessionPolitician

NationalityBritish (Scottish)

Marital statusMarried

SpouseNadia El-Nakla

FamilyDaughter - Amal; Sisters - Faiza Yousaf, Safa Yousaf

Humza Yousaf Biography

Humza Yousaf is a Scottish politician from the Scottish National Party who has served as an MSP since 2011 and became First Minister of Scotland in March

Early life and background

Humza Yousaf was born on 7 April 1985 in Glasgow, Scotland, into a family with roots in Pakistan and Kenya. His grandfather emigrated from Punjab, Pakistan, to Scotland in 1962 and worked in industry in Clydebank. Yousaf’s mother’s family came to Scotland from Kenya; his maternal relatives experienced racially motivated attacks before relocating. His father, Mian Muzaffar Yousaf, worked as an accountant and joined the Scottish National Party (SNP) in 1972.

Yousaf grew up in Glasgow and attended Mearns Primary School in East Renfrewshire before moving on to Hutchesons’ Grammar School. He studied at the University of Glasgow from 2003 to 2007 and graduated with an MA (Hons) in Politics. While a student he was active in campus life, serving as president of the Glasgow University Muslim Students Association.

Career

Yousaf joined the SNP in 2005. Early roles included working as a parliamentary assistant to several SNP MSPs and a period as a communications officer at SNP headquarters prior to his election to the Scottish Parliament.

He was elected as a regional MSP for the Glasgow electoral region in the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections. In that parliamentary term he served on justice and public audit committees and acted as Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the Office of the First Minister. In September 2012 he entered the Scottish Government as Minister for External Affairs and International Development, becoming the first Scottish Asian and Muslim appointed as a minister in the Scottish Government.

When the ministerial title was retitled in November 2014, he continued in junior ministerial office as Minister for Europe and International Development. In the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections he was elected as MSP for Glasgow Pollok, a seat he retained in the 2021 election.

Following his election in 2016, Yousaf served in Nicola Sturgeon’s cabinet in a number of senior roles. He was appointed Minister for Transport and the Islands and later became Cabinet Secretary for Justice in June 2018. As justice secretary he led work on the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill, which included the abolition of the offence of blasphemy and was passed by the Scottish Parliament in March 2021.

In May 2021 he moved to the health portfolio, serving as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care. On 29 March 2023 he won the leadership of the SNP and was sworn in as First Minister of Scotland.

Public profile

Yousaf’s background and public roles have been prominent in coverage of his career. He has worn elements of his cultural heritage during parliament oath ceremonies—taking the oath in Urdu on occasions and incorporating traditional dress elements to reflect his Scottish-Pakistani identity.

His earlier public life included voluntary and community work: he was involved with Islamic Relief UK as a media spokesperson, volunteered on community radio for more than a decade, and took part in projects providing food packages to homeless people and asylum seekers in Glasgow. He has been recognized in political and community circles, including receiving a Young Scottish Minority Ethnic award in 2009 and, in 2016, the Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam from the President of Pakistan for efforts in strengthening ties between Scotland and Pakistan.

Personal life

Yousaf is married to Nadia El-Nakla; the couple have a daughter, Amal, who was born in May 2019. Prior to his current marriage, he was previously married to Gail Lythgoe. His family includes sisters Faiza Yousaf and Safa Yousaf.

Like many public figures, Yousaf’s life has included moments of public scrutiny. In 2016 he was fined and received penalty points on his driving licence for driving without insurance, an incident he described as connected to personal circumstances at the time.

Latest updates

Yousaf continues to serve in Scottish government leadership after winning the SNP leadership contest and becoming First Minister on 29 March 2023. His earlier ministerial record spans external affairs, transport, justice and health portfolios, and he remains a central figure in Scottish politics.
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Recent Work

First Minister of Scotland

Became First Minister after winning the SNP leadership contest and was sworn in on 29 March 2023.

2023
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care

Served as Scotland's health secretary from May 2021 until March 2023.

2021-2023
Cabinet Secretary for Justice

Led justice policy from June 2018 to May 2021, including work on the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill.

2018-2021
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Career Highlights

  1. Elected as an MSP for the Glasgow region in 2011 and for Glasgow Pollok in 2016 and 2021.
  2. First Scottish Asian and Muslim to be appointed as a minister in the Scottish Government (2012).
  3. Served in senior cabinet roles including justice and health secretary.
  4. Sworn in as First Minister of Scotland on 29 March 2023.
  5. Recipient of the Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam award from Pakistan in 2016.
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Humza Yousaf born?

7 April 1985

What is Humza Yousaf known for?

Politician

What is Humza Yousaf’s marital status?

Married

Who is Humza Yousaf married to?

Nadia El-Nakla