Jobs/Appointments
Uzodinma Iweala to Step Down as Africa Center CEO December 2024
By Adedapo Adesanya
Award-winning writer, filmmaker, and medical doctor, Dr Uzodinma Iweala, will step down as the chief executive officer of the Africa Center in December 2024 after seven years at the helm of affairs of the institution.
The Africa Center is a multidisciplinary 501c3 nonprofit institution helping to shape a vision of Africa’s future. Serving as a gateway to engagement with contemporary Africa, and under Dr Iweala’s leadership evolved from a visual arts museum into an interdisciplinary centre with an expanded mission that includes culture and policy programming that aims to change narratives and create new opportunities for Africa and the Diaspora.
As a platform for the exchange of ideas around culture, business, and policy as related to the African continent, the Africa Center advances thought and action around Africa’s global influence.
Dr Iwaela, the son of the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and former Nigerian Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, also led the Africa Center at Aliko Dangote Hall when it first opened its doors to the public in 2019, swiftly becoming a thriving cultural hub in Harlem.
The Center has since produced more than 280 programs across its thematic areas of culture, policy, and business related to contemporary African life. The Center has welcomed more than 177,000 visitors to contemporary cultural exhibitions, art installations, performances, film screenings, author talks, policy forums, and a myriad of special events, including Harlem Day celebrations.
Speaking on his departure, Dr Iweala said, “After seven years of dedicated service to The Africa Center, I have decided that it is time to turn the page and write my next chapter,”
“My journey at The Africa Center has been incredibly rewarding, not just professionally but personally, as our team has worked tirelessly to fulfil and expand our mission. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, from opening our doors to hosting programs and exhibitions centred on African people and the African Diaspora that may not have happened anywhere else but here. We’ve built a resilient and supportive community around our mission. I am confident that the Center is in a strong position to welcome new leadership to carry the institution to even greater heights.”
It is not clear where the next path for the accomplished author will be, but his duration at the centre was marked by a lot of growth including the creation of the Future Africa Forum, which initiated The Africa Center’s interdisciplinary approach to policy programming. That signature forum convenes heads of state, senior political officials, industry leaders, philanthropists, and luminaries in culture for discussions during the United Nations General Assembly.
According to a statement, it was announced that Dr Iweala also brought The Africa Center into a trailblazing partnership with Africa No Filter and the University of Cape Town to develop the Global Media Index that provides a benchmark for the way Africa is covered in the media. Among the curatorial highlights, Iweala’s team partnered with the Museum of Food and Drink to co-present the landmark exhibition African/American: Making the Nations Table and with Independent Curators International to co-present the exhibition States of Becoming featured cutting-edge 17 African artists from the continent and Diaspora.
He worked closely with the Board of Trustees to negotiate a retirement of the museum’s debt, reinvigorate fundraising, jumpstart construction of its flagship Aliko Dangote Hall, and grow relations with its neighbours. Iweala established a solid foundation of support for the Center within Harlem, the greater New York City area, on the African continent, and within African Diasporic communities throughout the world.
Prior to serving as CEO of The Africa Center, Iweala was the CEO, Editor-In-Chief, and co-founder of Ventures Africa magazine, a publication that covers the evolving business, policy, culture, and innovation spaces in Africa. His books include Beasts of No Nation, a novel released in 2005 to critical acclaim and adapted into a major motion picture; Our Kind of People, a non-fiction account of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria released in 2012; and Speak No Evil (2018), a novel about a queer first-generation Nigerian-American teen living in Washington, D.C. He also holds several positions across medicine and philanthropy.
No successor was announced by the organisation but it has selected Mr Isaacson Miller to search for The Africa Center’s next leader working alongside the Transition Committee that includes Trustees Temi Adeniji, Jim Bildner, Jamie Cooper, Jendayi Frazer, Meredith Marshall, and Ben Stein.
The Africa Center Board Co-Chair Chelsea Clinton lauded Dr Iweala saying, “The Board of Trustees is immensely grateful to Uzodinma Iweala for his visionary leadership, passion, and unwavering commitment to The Africa Center,” said Board Co-Chair Chelsea Clinton.
Also, Board Co-Chair Jendayi Frazer added that, “Uzodinma leaves behind a legacy of growth, innovation, and community engagement that will continue to inspire our work for years to come. We are committed to finding a successor who will build on his achievements and who will guide The Africa Center into its next phase of development as an institution and centre for the exploration of contemporary African issues in New York City and across the globe.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The conclusion of the 2025 Performance Appraisal Exercise of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has resulted in the promotion and step increments of about 1,126 employees of the organisation.
The reward for performance involved the promotion of 547 employees and 579 step increments, reaffirming the company’s unwavering commitment to recognising excellence, rewarding performance and building one of Africa’s most admired workplaces.
AEDC disclosed that these actions reflect its deliberate investment in its people as the energy firm accelerates its transformation into a customer-centric, high-performing electricity distribution company with global standards and Pan-African aspirations.
The promotions and step increments, approved by the management, recognise employees who have demonstrated exceptional commitment, professionalism and outstanding performance in advancing AEDC’s strategic objectives.
However, employees who were not successful in the current appraisal cycle have been urged to remain committed, emphasising that the performance management process is designed to support continuous growth, capability development and future advancement opportunities.
“Our people remain our greatest asset and the foundation upon which AEDC’s future will be built. Today’s announcement is more than a reward for performance; it is a reaffirmation of our belief that excellence should always be recognised, talent should be nurtured and hard work should create opportunities for growth.
“As we continue our transformation journey, we are building an organisation where our employees can develop rewarding careers, realise their full potential and proudly contribute to creating one of Africa’s leading electricity distribution companies,” the chief executive of AEDC, Mr Chijioke Okwuokenye, stated.
He added that AEDC is intentionally creating a workplace where merit, continuous learning, innovation and collaboration drive career progression, while employee wellbeing remains central to its long-term strategy.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian international lawyer and anti-corruption specialist, Mr Ibrahim James Pam, has been appointed Acting Director-General of the World Bank Group’s Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO), a key independent accountability body within the institution.
The appointment, approved by the boards of the World Bank Group, will take effect on August 2, 2026.
Mr Pam, who currently serves as Chair of the World Bank Inspection Panel, will oversee the CAO on an interim basis pending the appointment of a substantive Director-General and Vice President of the World Bank Group Independent Accountability Mechanism.
The development was announced in a statement issued by the Head of Communications of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman, Emily Horgan, who said the arrangement was designed to ensure continuity during the organisation’s leadership transition.
“In view of the forthcoming leadership transition at the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO), the World Bank Group Boards have designated Ibrahim Pam, Chair of the Inspection Panel, to concurrently serve as acting CAO Director General, effective August 2, 2026,” the statement said.
“Mr Pam will serve in this role until the new World Bank Group Independent Accountability Mechanism Director General/Vice President is appointed.”
The Compliance Advisor Ombudsman is the independent accountability mechanism for projects financed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), both members of the World Bank Group.
Created in 1999, the CAO reports directly to the boards of IFC and MIGA and handles complaints from individuals and communities affected by projects supported by the two institutions, while promoting environmental and social accountability.
Mr Pam, who is married with children and grandchildren, brings extensive experience in international law, anti-corruption, compliance, human rights and criminal investigations to the role.
He is the son of the late Lt. Col. James Pam, a former Adjutant General of the Nigerian Army, and Mrs Ngo Elizabeth Pam, a human rights advocate who served on the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission, popularly known as the Oputa Panel, as well as the Plateau Peace Conference.
Over the years, Mr Pam has built a distinguished international career investigating human rights violations, financial crimes, fraud, institutional misconduct and mass atrocities across several jurisdictions.
He has served as a member of the World Bank Inspection Panel since January 2023. Prior to that, he was Head ad interim of the Independent Redress Mechanism of the Green Climate Fund in Songdo, South Korea, between August 2022 and March 2023, after leading the Fund’s Independent Integrity Unit from November 2016 to November 2022.
His professional experience also includes roles with the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), where he served as Resident Investigator with the UN Mission in South Sudan, the African Development Bank’s Integrity and Anti-Corruption Department, and the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Earlier in his career, he provided legal support to Nigeria’s Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission (Oputa Panel) between 2000 and 2002.
A graduate of the University of Jos, Mr Pam began his legal career at J.Y. Pam & Co. before working in private legal practice, the banking sector and later the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
While at the ICPC, he received the prestigious Chevening Scholarship, which enabled him to earn a Master’s degree in International Law and Justice Policy from the London School of Economics in 2005
His appointment is expected to strengthen the World Bank Group’s accountability and oversight framework, given his extensive background in governance, integrity, compliance and international justice.
Jobs/Appointments
UNIZIK Appoints Nicholas Okoye Visiting Senior Lecturer, to Strengthen Digital Assets Education
Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) has appointed veteran investment banker and capital markets expert, Nicholas “Nicky” Okoye, as a Visiting Senior Lecturer in a move aimed at strengthening its capital markets and digital assets curriculum amid the growing global adoption of virtual assets and blockchain-based finance.
The appointment, which takes immediate effect, is expected to deepen the university’s capacity to train enterprise executives, entrepreneurs and policymakers in emerging areas such as cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), tokenisation of real-world assets and other digital financial innovations.
UNIZIK, which hosts one of Africa’s few dedicated Capital Markets faculties, said the appointment aligns with its strategy of equipping students and professionals with the knowledge and practical skills required to navigate the rapidly evolving financial ecosystem.
The university, in its statement, described the appointment as a significant milestone for the institution.
“Securing someone of Nicky Okoye’s calibre is a game-changer. As global finance evolves, we must equip enterprise executives, entrepreneurs and policymakers with the technical knowledge required to build long-term capital formation strategies. His real-world experience is invaluable.”
Okoye brings decades of experience across global and Nigerian financial institutions. His career includes serving as a Financial Consultant at Merrill Lynch in the United States, Chief Strategy Officer at the Nigerian Exchange Group, and Founding Group Executive Director of Operations and Strategy at Transcorp Group Plc, where he led fundraising initiatives that collectively exceeded $1 billion.
He currently leads the Global Investment Advisory Community (GIAC), a coalition of local and international banks, asset managers and fintech firms working to develop a digital assets ecosystem across Africa and the Caribbean.
Beyond the private sector, Okoye has contributed to public policy, providing advisory support to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on capital market regulatory frameworks.
Stakeholders in the financial services sector have welcomed the appointment, expressing optimism that his academic engagement would help build capacity among investors and professionals as Nigeria expands its digital finance ecosystem.
Okoye also holds an honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Enugu State University of Technology, awarded in recognition of his contributions to enterprise development and business excellence.
He previously served on the Presidential Jobs Board and the National Council of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, where he provided strategic advice on economic development. Between 2014 and 2018, he advised the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Project Triple E, an initiative designed to strengthen indigenous participation in the upstream oil and gas value chain by integrating community-based contractors.
The appointment comes as Nigeria intensifies efforts to establish a robust regulatory framework for digital assets. The Federal Government recently inaugurated a National Virtual Assets Council to coordinate the oversight and regulation of virtual and digital assets in the country.
The council is chaired by the Central Bank of Nigeria, with support from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Nigeria Revenue Service, as part of broader efforts to promote innovation while ensuring investor protection and financial system stability.
