The director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, has appointed Dr. Hussein Gadain the new FAO representative in Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Gadain arrived in Nigeria on July 8, 2025, to assume his new position. He brings over 30 years of experience in natural resource management, food security and agricultural development across Africa and the Middle East. Before this role, he served as FAO Representative in Yemen, where he led one of the organisation’s largest emergency programmes focused on food systems recovery and building resilience in crisis settings.
In his new role, Gadain will oversee FAO’s strategic collaboration with the government of Nigeria, development partners and key stakeholders. He is also tasked with leading the implementation of the FAO Country Programming Framework (CPF) 2023–2027, which prioritises sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, nutrition and inclusive rural development.
“Nigeria is a country of immense potential and complexity. I am honoured to serve the people and government of Nigeria and look forward to working closely with partners at all levels to strengthen food systems and support sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
A statement by FAO described his appointment as timely, noting that it comes at a crucial period as Nigeria continues to confront rising food insecurity, climate change impacts and the recovery of conflict-affected communities.
