The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Nigeria’s Ahunna Eziakonwa as Special Adviser on Africa, marking a major leadership elevation within the global body.

According to a statement released on Friday and published by Punch Newspapers, Eziakonwa replaces Cristina Duarte of Cabo Verde, who has been commended for her service to the organisation.

Eziakonwa currently serves as UN Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator, and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme. In this role, she oversees development support across 46 African countries, focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Her career spans nearly three decades within the United Nations system, including senior positions in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Lesotho as Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator. She has also worked with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), managing humanitarian operations across multiple African nations.

The UN said she has played a key role since 2018 in shaping UNDP’s strategic approach to economic and political development across Africa.

Eziakonwa also previously worked in Liberia and Sierra Leone during critical periods of post-conflict recovery and held roles at UN headquarters in peacekeeping, political affairs, and public information. Before joining the UN, she worked with African civil society organisations.

She holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University in the United States and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Benin, Nigeria. She is fluent in Igbo, English, Yoruba, and French.