President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has relieved Nkiruka Madueke of her duties as Director-General of the Nigeria Climate Change Council (NCCC) and appointed Omotenioye Majekodunmi as her replacement.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, who said the decision reflects the administration’s commitment to realigning climate leadership with its evolving policy priorities.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi as the new Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC),” Onanuga stated.
Majekodunmi, who previously served as the Council’s Financial Adviser, is expected to bring her experience in renewable energy, climate governance, and carbon markets to the helm of the NCCC.
Madueke’s removal comes just over a year after her appointment in June 2024, making her the second Director-General to be dismissed since the council’s formation. Her tenure coincided with institutional tensions, especially after the establishment of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action (SPEC)—a separate office given overlapping responsibilities in international negotiations and carbon market oversight.
This duplication of mandates led to criticisms, internal friction, and ultimately the resignation of Ajuri Ngelale from the SPEC role following allegations of inefficiency and disunity within Nigeria’s climate leadership structure.
During her brief time in office, Madueke took an assertive approach to climate diplomacy. At the closing session of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, she publicly rejected the proposed $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 (NDCs). The $300 billion is unattainable. We must confront the truth,” she stated at the summit.
With her dismissal, Madueke will no longer lead Nigeria’s delegation to COP30, scheduled to take place later this year in Belém, Brazil.
