Born in Adamawa State, Mr. Mustapha attended Hong Secondary School, in Hong Adamawa State and North East College of Arts and Sciences, Maiduguri, Borno State, before sitting for the WASC and HSC in 1976. He earned his Bachelor of Law, LL.B from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1979 and was called to bar in 1980.

Mr. Mustapha did his mandatory service year at the Directorate of Legal Services, Army Headquarters where he was in charge of review of Court Marshall Proceedings.

After service, he joined Sotesa Nigeria Limited, an Italian consultancy firm, as an Executive Director in charge of Administration, and in 1983, he left to join a law firm, Messrs Onagoruwa & Co in Lagos. With his law practice fully taken off, he was appointed Principal Counsel in the firm, Messrs Mustapha & Associates. One of Mr. Mustapha’s career highlights was his appointment as a member of Interim Management Committee IMC of the defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF), where he served from 2000 to 2007.