The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) has confirmed new appointments as part of efforts to reform its secretariat and align operations with international best practices.
In a statement on Sunday, the new Director of Media and Strategic Communications, Yunusa Abdullahi, said the move would strengthen capacity in human capital, security, economy, and communication.
Abdullahi explained that the appointments followed a comprehensive review by Deloitte, engaged to re-engineer NGF processes and reinforce its mandate as a subnational policy hub.
He stressed that the changes were not merely administrative, but marked a deliberate shift towards a more agile and results-driven institution.
According to him, the new leadership team is led by Dr Abdulateef Shittu, who now serves as the Director-General.
Other appointments include Mr Edmund Nnaji, a legal practitioner with vast corporate law experience, as Executive Director, Finance and Administration.
Prof Dauda Yinusa, a former Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development, was named Executive Director, Policy, Strategy and Research.
Dr Ahmad Abdulwahab was appointed Executive Director, Programmes and Partnerships, bringing his deep expertise in health systems reform and programme management.
Also appointed was Chijioke Chuku as General Counsel and Head of Energy, a seasoned lawyer with over 20 years of policy and legal experience.
Mrs Hauwa Haliru-Hassan was elevated to Director, Gender Affairs, and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum (NGSF).
Dr Ibrahim Ahmad Katsina was appointed Senior Security Adviser, with three decades of experience in security and conflict resolution.
Abdullahi himself assumes the role of Director of Media and Strategic Communications.
He emphasised that the appointments reflect NGF’s commitment to building a multidisciplinary leadership team capable of tackling Nigeria’s governance challenges, from economic transformation and security to human capital development.
