JUST IN: NGF Appoints New DG, Unveils Strategic Leadership Team

Sunnex Egbu

13 hours ago

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has announced the appointment of Dr Abdulateef Shittu as its new Director-General (DG), in what it described as a strategic restructuring of its secretariat to align with international best practices.

Naijaonpoint reports that the announcement was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by Yunusa Abdullahi, who was also unveiled as the Forum’s new Director of Media and Strategic Communications.

According to Abdullahi, the changes followed a comprehensive review conducted by consulting firm Deloitte, which was engaged to re-engineer NGF processes and strengthen its role as a subnational policy hub.

“These changes are not merely administrative but mark a deliberate shift towards a more agile and results-driven institution,” Abdullahi said.

Key Appointments Announced

The new appointments cut across critical areas of governance, finance, security, law, and development strategy.

A legal practitioner with extensive corporate law experience, Edmund Nnaji, was appointed Executive Director, Finance and Administration.
Prof Dauda Yinusa, former Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development, was named Executive Director, Policy, Strategy and Research.
Dr Ahmad Abdulwahab, an expert in health systems reform and programme management, was appointed Executive Director, Programmes and Partnerships.
Chijioke Chuku, a seasoned lawyer with over 20 years of policy and legal expertise, was named General Counsel and Head of Energy.
Mrs Hauwa Haliru-Hassan was elevated as Director, Gender Affairs, and also Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum.
Dr Ibrahim Ahmad Katsina, with three decades of security and conflict resolution experience, was appointed Senior Security Adviser.

Abdullahi himself will oversee NGF’s communications as Director of Media and Strategic Communications.

The Forum stressed that the appointments underscored its resolve to build a multidisciplinary leadership team capable of addressing Nigeria’s most pressing governance challenges.

“The NGF is strengthening its capacity to respond to issues ranging from economic transformation and security to human capital development. This new team reflects our determination to reposition the Forum as a driver of innovation and accountability at the subnational level,” Abdullahi said.