The Nigerian Governors’ Forum has appointed Dr Abdulateef Shittu as its new Director-General, in a move aimed at reforming its secretariat and aligning operations with international best practices.
The Forum also named Yunusa Abdullahi as its Director of Media and Strategic Communications.
Announcing the changes, Abdullahi said the appointments followed a comprehensive review conducted by Deloitte, which was engaged to re-engineer NGF processes and strengthen its role as a subnational policy hub.
He added that the reforms go beyond administration, describing them as a deliberate shift towards building a more agile and results-driven institution
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.
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.
