BudgIT Announces the Exit of Country Director, Gabriel Okeowo, Names Joseph Amenaghawon as Acting Country Director
BudgIT, a global civic organisation headquartered in Nigeria, hereby announces a leadership transition following the exit of Mr. Gabriel Okeowo, who has served as Country Director for Nigeria with distinction for the past eight years. Since joining BudgIT, Mr. Okeowo has played a pivotal role in scaling the organisation’s impact—strengthening government accountability, driving citizen-led advocacy for improved service delivery, and expanding operations across multiple states in Nigeria. His dedication, stewardship, and vision have been instrumental in positioning BudgIT as a trusted voice in public finance reform both locally and globally.
Under his leadership, BudgIT expanded its footprint across Nigeria and established operations in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Senegal. It deepened its service delivery tracking through Tracka, built innovative partnerships with the government, private sector, and civil society, and implemented high-impact reforms that amplified citizen voices and enhanced governance outcomes. Gabriel was instrumental in the improvement of subnational transparency, the growth of Tracka, our service delivery platform, and the excellent delivery of State of States projects. He also provided strategic leadership in expanding our work on climate governance, open government, artificial intelligence, and primary healthcare accountability.
His unwavering commitment to transparency, institutional strengthening, and human capital development leaves a lasting legacy in BudgIT’s operational systems and the civic-tech ecosystem in Africa. “We are proud of Gabriel’s impact over the years. He led with humility, forged meaningful national and global alliances, and championed citizen engagement with remarkable clarity and passion. Gabriel leaves BudgIT better than he found it, and we celebrate him as he embarks on a new professional journey,” said Oluseun Onigbinde, BudgIT’s Global Director and Co-founder.
To ensure continuity in mission and strategy, BudgIT has appointed Mr. Joseph Amenaghawon as Acting Country Director for BudgIT Nigeria. Mr. Amenaghawon brings more than two decades of experience spanning strategic leadership, governance reforms, and program design. He will continue to steward key engagements and institutional operations pending the completion of a rigorous and competitive recruitment process for a new Country Director.
In addition to this appointment, BudgIT has introduced a new senior leadership role, Deputy Country Director, as part of its strategic growth framework and succession planning. Mr. Vahyala Kwaga, a seasoned governance and policy advocate, will assume this role to strengthen operational leadership, accelerate program delivery, and provide critical oversight of BudgIT’s strategic priorities. These appointments reflect BudgIT’s continued investment in leadership excellence and its commitment to a seamless transition.
As we step boldly into our next chapter, we reiterate our mission to empower citizens, enhance public accountability, and drive reforms that improve the lives of Nigerians and people across the African continent. With a strengthened leadership structure and a growing coalition of partners, we remain committed to bridging the information gap, catalysing civic participation, and sustaining the momentum for equitable development.
