The Who

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 Nigerias 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.