Hannatu is a Human Rights Activist and holds a degree in Law from the University of Buckingham, United Kingdom and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2003. In the time since she qualified as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, she has had a varied and rich working experience. She obtained an LLM in Oil and Gas Law from the University of Aberdeen. She has undergone part-time training to sit for the New York Bar examination. Hannatu is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and a Member of the London Branch of the Institute.

She has worked as legal advisor, to a number of Private Companies. In the past she acted as in-house legal advisor to the Continental Transfer Technique limited and CONTEC Global, a Nigerian and foreign-based Company that manages the CERPAC Immigration scheme for expatriates in Nigeria.

As a junior lawyer, she worked with the law firm of Late Chief Clement Akpangbo SAN (former Attorney General of the federation, Nigeria); briefly studied Barrister Bala Na Allah during the Oputa Panel; and Human Rights Violation Commission - a panel set up by the Nigerian Government to tackle Human Rights abuses in the Military era.

She consequently established Hanney Musawa & Associates, where she is presently the Principal Partner. Her Law firm has been engaged in litigating on several high profile international and national cases and arbitrations.