Another Nigerian has earned global recognition as the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, names seasoned diplomat and development expert Ahunna Eziakonwa as his new Special Adviser on Africa.

The United Nations has announced the appointment of Nigeria’s Ahunna Eziakonwa as the new Special Adviser on Africa, marking another significant milestone for Nigerian representation on the global stage.

cbinewstv reports that UN Secretary-General António Guterres confirmed the appointment on Friday, with Eziakonwa taking over from Cristina Duarte of Cabo Verde. The UN also expressed gratitude to Duarte for her years of dedicated service and commitment to the organisation.

Eziakonwa brings nearly 30 years of leadership experience within the United Nations system to the role. She currently serves as UN Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where she oversees development support across 46 African countries.

In that position, she has played a key role in advancing the UN’s Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals, while also supporting the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision for the continent.

According to the UN, Eziakonwa has been instrumental in shaping UNDP’s strategic approach to economic and political development across Africa since 2018.

Her impressive career spans humanitarian work, development planning and political engagement. She has previously served as UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Ethiopia, Uganda and Lesotho, helping to steer development initiatives and humanitarian responses in those countries.

Eziakonwa also held the position of Chief of the Africa Section at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in New York, where she managed humanitarian operations across 15 African nations. She additionally served in senior roles in Liberia and Sierra Leone during crucial periods in their development journeys.

At UN Headquarters, she contributed to peacekeeping operations, political analysis and strategic communications, working closely with the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations, Political Affairs and Public Information.

Before joining the United Nations, Eziakonwa worked with several civil society organisations across Africa, building a strong foundation in development and advocacy.

Academically, she holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University in New York, with a special focus on African economic and political development. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pedagogy, English and Literary Studies from the University of Benin, Nigeria.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Eziakonwa is multilingual. In addition to speaking English and her native Igbo, she is fluent in Yoruba and has a working knowledge of French.

Her appointment is being widely seen as a recognition of her decades of service and expertise, as well as a positive development for Africa’s voice within the United Nations system.

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