The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, has appointed Dr. Hussein Gadain as the new FAO Representative to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by Mr. David Tsokar and Mr. Kelvin Nwachukwu, FAO Communication Specialists.
According to the statement, Gadain arrived in Nigeria on July 8, 2025, to assume his new role.
“He brings more than 30 years of experience in natural resource management, food security, and agricultural development across Africa and the Middle East.
“Before his appointment in Nigeria, Gadain served as FAO Representative in Yemen, where he led one of FAO’s largest emergency programmes, providing critical interventions for food system recovery and resilience building.”
In his new role, Gadain will oversee FAO’s strategic engagement with the Nigerian government, development partners, and key stakeholders.
He will lead the implementation of the FAO Country Programming Framework (CPF) 2023–2027, which prioritises sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, nutrition, and inclusive rural development.
Responding to his appointment, Gadain said, “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 national, subnational, and community levels to support resilient food systems and sustainable livelihoods.”
His appointment comes at a pivotal time as FAO intensifies efforts to assist Nigeria in tackling food insecurity, climate change challenges, and the recovery of conflict-affected communities.