Nigerian Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Appointed to the Board of the African Humanitarian Agency

Nigeria - Abubakar Sani:

The African Union announced the appointment of a minister Humanitarian Affairs and poverty reduction in Nigeria, Bernard Durrow, a member of the board of the African Agency for Humanitarian Action, representing the West African region, in a move aimed at strengthening the continent's efforts in addressing humanitarian crises and developing disaster response mechanisms.

According to a statement issued by the Minister's Senior Technical Advisor for Information Systems and Data Analysis, Dr. Abimbola Fasano, Duro's appointment came after his nomination by the West African regional bloc, which Senegal coordinates, and the African Union Commission officially ratified the decision.

3-year non-renewable membership

Doro is set to serve a non-renewable three-year term on the Board of Directors, alongside the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Côte d'Ivoire, Léon Kacou Adom, who was also chosen to represent the West African region.

The African Humanitarian Agency was established with the aim of strengthening African countries' capacity to prevent, prepare for, and respond to humanitarian crises, through joint African-led solutions. Its board of directors will set strategic directions, oversee policy implementation, coordinate humanitarian initiatives, and establish regional emergency response centers.

This appointment comes at a time when the African continent is facing growing humanitarian challenges, including displacement, poverty, food insecurity, and the repercussions of climate change.

In his first statement, Bernard Duro described his appointment as recognition of Nigeria's role in developing innovative humanitarian solutions on the continent. He emphasized that his board membership represents an opportunity to strengthen African partnerships, exchange expertise, and build more efficient and sustainable systems to serve the most vulnerable populations.

He added that Nigeria will continue to support African initiatives aimed at enhancing resilience, restoring human dignity, and creating sustainable pathways for poverty reduction, while leveraging the country's experience in reforming the humanitarian system.

The Nigerian Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs explained that this appointment gives the country an opportunity to showcase its experience in the areas of humanitarian coordination, social protection, and poverty reduction, especially through the “Integrated Humanitarian Response System for Poverty Reduction” initiative, which aims to integrate humanitarian assistance, social protection programs, and poverty alleviation efforts within a unified framework that enhances efficiency, transparency, and achieves a sustainable development impact.

Doro is expected to participate in the inaugural meeting of the African humanitarian agency's board of directors later this month, signaling the agency's commencement of its continental operations.

It is noteworthy that Bernard Duro took office as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria by a decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in November 2025. He has a diverse academic and professional background, combining specializations in pharmacy, law, business administration, and public policy.