Leading Nigerian and international experts, gender diverse, a deep range of sector expertise, and a broad geographic range within Nigeria. This is Nigerian-owned and run. It is an honest look in the mirror about where the country stands and what type of country we want to hand off to future generations.
All experts have been identified for simple reasons – their hunger for change, their enthusiasm, their track record, and their perseverance.
Initiators
Chukwumerije Okereke
Director, Center for Climate and Development, Alex Ekwueme Federal University.
Richard Dion
Governance, communications and regional development advisor
Core Team
Odeh Friday
Country Director, Accountability Lab Nigeria
Oluseun Onigbinde
Executive Director, BudgIT Foundation
Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri
Executive Director, Spaces for Change
Arto Kaunonen
Founder, Senior Partner, Capful
Sointu Kouki
Consultant, Capful
Justus Jokela
Associate Consultant, Capful
The team is grateful to Dr. Cho Khong and Ms. Geraldine Wessing, Chief Political Scientists, Scenarios Team, Royal Dutch/Shell plc.
Nigerian Experts
Oby Ezekwesili
Founder and Chairperson School of Politics, Policy and Governance
Professor Pat Utomi
Director, Centre for Values in Leadership
Hamzat Lawal
Chief Executive, Connected Development
Professor Bell Ihua
Executive Director, Africa Polling Institute
Patrick Okigbo
Founder and Partner, Nextier
Dr. Ifeoma Malo
Co-Founder/ Executive Director, Clean Technology Hub
Professor Kenneth Amaeshi,
Director Scaling Business in Africa at the University of Edinburgh.
Dr. Taibat Lawanson
Associate Professor of Urban Planning, University of Lagos
Dr. Habiba Ahut Daggash
Grantham Institute of Climate Change, Imperial College London
Dr. Natalie Beinisch
Co-Founder, Circular Economy Innovation Partnership
Joshua Olufemi
Founder, Dataphyte
Dr. Eugene Itua
Director, Natural Eco Capital
Idayat Hassan
Director, Centre for Democracy and Development
Dr. Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien
Chairperson Circular Economy Innovation Partnership (CEIP) Africa
Toyin Akinniyi,
Consultant, Luminate
Immaculata Abba
Researcher, writer, editorial, and documentary photographer
Kanayo Ndibe
Renewable Energy Analyst and Debt Capital Advisory,
Salisu R. Isihak
Future Energy Leader (FEL100) at World Energy Council
Eniye Ogbebor
Commercial and International Development Lawyer / PPP expert
Atukpa Dakoru,
Managing Partner, Africa Conflict and Security (AfCAS) Consulting Ltd
Prof Afam Icha-Ituma
Vice-Chancellor Coal City University
Cheluchi Onyemelukwe
Executive Director, Centre for Health Ethics Law and Development (CHELD)
Dr. Zainab Usman
Africa Programme Director, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Zainab Aliyu
Lead (Manager) at Climate 2025
Obiora Obasi
Development consultant and author of the book, This Way Nigeria – proposals for economic regeneration and lasting peace in Nigeria
Dr. Franklin N. Ngwu
Director of Lagos Business School (LBS) Sustainability Centre
Dr. Innocent Onah
Sustainability Expert, African Development Bank
Tengi George-Ikoli
Senior Officer, Nigeria Program, Natural Resource Governance Institute.
International Experts
Dr. Steinar Bryn
Nansen Center, Norway, seven-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee
Aloysius Bongwa
Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2Gs – Gender and Geography
With under 5% representation in Nigeria’s parliament and under 10% in the Senate, gender parity is imperative for the process. In addition, geographical representation is crucial for legitimacy.
While many of the participants will have a “Laguja” base, they should represent a cross-section of the tapestry that is Nigeria.
About the initiators
Chukwumerije (Chuks) Okereke is a Professor of Environment and Development at the University of Reading and a visiting fellow at Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute (ECI), among a number of other roles. (https://chukwumerije.com).
Richard Dion, is a Governance, communications, and regional development advisor based on the Franco-German border. With previous posts at UNDP, Royal Dutch/Shell, and EITI, he has published numerous op-eds regarding governance, polarization, and regional development.