President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has removed Nkiruka Madueke as the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), appointing Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi as her replacement.
The announcement was made Wednesday by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, who stated that the leadership change is in line with the administration’s evolving climate priorities. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi as the new Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change,” Onanuga said.
Majekodunmi, who previously served as Financial Adviser to the Council, brings expertise in climate governance, renewable energy, and carbon market policy. She is expected to play a key role in repositioning the Council amid recent structural reforms within Nigeria’s climate governance architecture.
Madueke’s removal comes barely a year after her appointment in June 2024. She had taken over from Salisu Dahiru, who was also relieved of his position before completing his term. Her short tenure coincided with a turbulent phase marked by the creation of the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action (SPEC), which assumed oversight of many international climate responsibilities previously handled by the NCCC.
The overlapping mandates between SPEC and the NCCC sparked confusion and public criticism, with stakeholders calling for clearer delineation of roles. Ajuri Ngelale, who was appointed as the first SPEC, resigned earlier this year following internal disagreements and allegations of inefficiency.
Despite the institutional tensions, Madueke maintained a prominent presence in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. At the closing session of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, she strongly opposed the global agreement proposing a $300 billion target under the National Climate Quantum Goals (NCQG), calling it unrealistic. “We cannot accept this. You expect us to establish ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions. The $300 billion target is unattainable. We must confront the truth,” she had declared.
With the leadership change, Madueke will no longer lead Nigeria’s delegation to the upcoming COP30 summit scheduled to hold later this year in Belém, Brazil.
Mrs. Majekodunmi is expected to steer the Council through the next phase of its operations, as Nigeria seeks to assert its voice in global climate policy while navigating domestic institutional reforms.