United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Nigerian diplomat and development specialist Ahunna Eziakonwa as his Special Adviser on Africa, placing her at the centre of the UN’s strategic engagement with the continent.
The appointment, announced on Friday, June 12, 2026, follows the exit of Cristina Duarte of Cabo Verde, who previously held the position.
Eziakonwa is currently the Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where she manages development operations across 46 African countries.
Since her appointment in 2018, she has played a leading role in shaping UNDP’s Africa-wide priorities, with a focus on economic reform, governance, resilience building and sustainable development in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the global Sustainable Development Goals.
With over 20 years of experience in the United Nations system, Eziakonwa has held several senior humanitarian and development roles.
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These include serving as UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Ethiopia, Uganda and Lesotho.
She also led the Africa Section of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in New York, overseeing coordination of humanitarian work across more than 15 African countries.
Earlier assignments in Liberia and Sierra Leone further deepened her expertise in crisis response and post-conflict recovery.
In her new capacity, Eziakonwa will provide strategic advice to the Secretary-General on African affairs while strengthening cooperation between the United Nations, African governments and regional bodies on peace, security and development issues.
Her elevation reflects a long record of service within the UN system and adds to Nigeria’s growing presence in senior leadership roles within the global organization.