President Tinubu Appoints Maduekwe, Approves New National Council On Climate Change Leadership

Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe

Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe has been appointed as the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) in interim capacity, pending the confirmation of her appointment by the NCCC Supervisory Council.

President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement on Sunday, said the President gave the approval in accordance with his commitment to actualize Nigeria’s green industrial vision, boost investor confidence, and unlock sustainable economic value through various climate finance instruments.

Tinubu also approved that Dr. Maduekwe, 39, who holds a Bachelor of Law degree; a Master’s degree in Environmental Law & Policy from the University of Dundee (UK), and a Doctorate degree in Law from the University of Hull (UK), to serve as the Co-Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Committee on National Carbon Market Activation Plan (NCMAP).

Dr. Maduekwe has over 15 years of national and international experience in climate policy development and project implementation. She previously served as Nigeria National Coordinator, Climate Parliament. Climate Parliament is an international, multi-partisan network of legislators working worldwide to help solve the climate crisis and accelerate the transition to renewable energy.

Dr. Maduekwe was also the legal adviser to the NCCC Director-General.

Furthermore, Tinubu approved the appointment of Ibrahim Abdullahi Shelleng, 40, as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance & Stakeholder Engagement, Office of the President. He is seconded to the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) Secretariat, where he will handle all matters related to Climate Finance & Stakeholder/Donor Relations.

The President approved that Mr. Shelleng is to assume the position of Secretary of the Intergovernmental Committee on National Carbon Market Activation Plan (NCMAP) and serve as a member of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions, as well as the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.

Shelleng, who holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has served in leading roles across multiple financial institutions, and was Head of Business Development for the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company PLC (NMRC) before his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the President.

The President has also approved the appointment of Olamide Fagbuji, 44, as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Technology and Operations, Office of the President. He is seconded to the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) Secretariat, where he will oversee the digitalization of a new open procurement process and cross-departmental procedural optimization initiative.

Fagbuji served as Special Assistant to the President on Economic Matters under the previous administration, and was most recently the Technical Adviser to the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) on Policy Research and Strategy. He is a policy analyst and computer scientist.

“By the directive of the President, the aforementioned appointments take immediate effect.

“The President expects the new appointees to bring their expertise and discipline to bear in these very important assignments in pursuance of the nation’s aspiration on green industrial development and climate action for sustainable growth and national prosperity,” the statement added.