Former ActionAid Country Director, Ene Obi, elected Chair, NEAT Initiative

ABUJA, NIGERIA. July 9, 2024… Former ActionAid Nigeria Country Director, Ene Obi has been elected to chair the Advisory Committee of the Nigerian Endowments through Asset Transformation (NEAT) Initiative. This was the outcome of the inaugural meeting convened by the Africa Network for Environment & Economic Justice (ANEEJ) and the East West Management Institute (EWMI), New York, in Abuja, Nigeria.

ANEEJ Executive Director, Rev. David Ugolor made the information available to newsmen in Abuja after the hybrid meeting which was attended by the eight members of the Advisory Committee (drawn from Government, CSOs, and academia), ANEEJ staff, and representatives of EWMI and the Kiisi Trust Foundation.

“We are excited that the NEAT Initiative is gradually taking shape in Nigeria with the constitution of the Advisory Committee and the inaugural meeting of the committee which produced Ene Obi as the Chair of the Committee. We found Ene Obi credible, with vast experience to lead the Advisory Committee of the NEAT Initiative and we have confidence in her capacity to take on the role,” noted David Ugolor.

“We need to develop a Nigerian model of the NEAT Initiative and adopt a country workplan that will work for us as the NEAT idea is clear and the objectives were well spelt out,” adds Dr. Orji O. Orji, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

 “The model that the NEAT Initiatives comes with is a very innovative approach which should be explored to address pressing development needs, empower communities and strengthen Nigeria’s CSO sector. It should be supported as it is independent and transparent,” Juliet Ibekaku-Nwangu, Executive Director of African Centre for Governance, Asset Recovery and Sustainable Development stated.

“I am delighted to be part of the NEAT Initiative and will contribute my best to promote the idea.” Monday Osasah, Executive Director, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD). 

The Advisory Committee has been constituted to work with ANEEJ and the East West Management Institute to undertake advocacy that will lead to the actualization of the NEAT Initiative in Nigeria through the establishment of endowment to fund locally focused, independent, and accountable foundations that will support the work of CSOs in the country.

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