President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Hon. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi as the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development (MBNCWD), alongside the constitution of a new Governing Council for the Centre.
The appointment was announced in a statement signed by the Head of Information and Public Relations, Chris Ugwuegbulam, on May 14, 2026. According to the statement, the appointment takes effect from April 18, 2026, for an initial term of four years.
The approval was conveyed in a letter signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and issued by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, in line with the provisions of the National Centre for Women Development (Amendment) Act, 2023.
President Tinubu also approved the appointment of Princess Joan Jummai Idonije as Chairman of the Governing Council. Other members of the council include disability rights advocate Ms. Lois Auta, Hon. Jamila Sarki, Aisha Baiyee, Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, and Hon. Princess Anne Agom-Eze.
Hon. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi is widely known for her work in women empowerment, public communication, and community development. Before her latest appointment, she served as Mandate Secretary of the Women Affairs Secretariat under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). She has also built a reputation as a gender advocate, media entrepreneur, and mentor for women and youths in politics and leadership.
Ms. Lois Auta, a prominent disability inclusion advocate and founder of the Cedar Seed Foundation, is also the President of the Network for Women with Disabilities. Auta, who is a polio survivor and wheelchair user, has been actively involved in campaigns promoting the rights, inclusion, and political participation of persons with disabilities, especially women and girls with disabilities, across Nigeria.
President Tinubu congratulated the Director-General and members of the Governing Council, expressing confidence in their ability to advance the objectives of the Centre and strengthen programmes aimed at empowering Nigerian women and promoting inclusive national development.
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