President Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe as the interim Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), pending confirmation by the Supervisory Council of the NCCC.
The announcement was made in a State House press release signed by presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale on Sunday.
Dr. Maduekwe, 39, will also serve as the Co-Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Committee on National Carbon Market Activation Plan. She holds a Bachelor of Law degree, a Master’s in Environmental Law and Policy from the University of Dundee (UK), and a Doctorate in Law from the University of Hull (UK).
With over 15 years of experience in climate policy development and project implementation, she has previously served as Nigeria’s National Coordinator for Climate Parliament and as the legal adviser to the NCCC Director-General.
President Tinubu also appointed Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi Shelleng, 40, as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance & Stakeholder Engagement.
Shelleng will be seconded to the NCCC Secretariat, managing Climate Finance & Stakeholder/Donor Relations. He will also serve as the Secretary of the Intergovernmental Committee on National Carbon Market Activation Plan (NCMAP), a member of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions, and the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.
Shelleng holds an MBA from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and has extensive experience in financial institutions, most recently as Head of Business Development for the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company PLC.
Additionally, Mr. Olamide Fagbuji, 44, was appointed as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Technology and Operations. Fagbuji will be responsible for digitalizing the new open procurement process and optimizing cross-departmental procedures at the NCCC Secretariat.
He has served as Special Assistant to the President on Economic Matters and as the Technical Adviser to the Director-General of the NCCC on Policy Research and Strategy. Fagbuji is a policy analyst and computer scientist.
Ngelale noted that these appointments are effective immediately. President Tinubu expects the new appointees to leverage their expertise and discipline to advance the nation’s goals in green industrial development and climate action for sustainable growth and national prosperity.
