The past few months have been fulfilling for some of the former officials of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. Barely a year after they left office, the former officials have transitioned quite successfully to international organisations and institutions. Here’s a rundown of four officials from the Jonathan administration that have come out on top.


Arunma Oteh

Arunma Oteh, was the former Director General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange Commission (SEC) during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. She was appointed Vice President and Treasurer of the World Bank Group on July 24th 2015 making her the third Nigerian woman to hold the position of Vice President of the Bank after Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and Obiageli Ezekwesili.
Arunma’s greatest achievement while at the SEC was her ability to change Nigeria’s Security and Exchange Commission. She was able to restore investor confidence on the commission through strong enforcement actions by improving rules, regulations and investor education. Under her leadership the market was expanded- there was zero tolerance for rule infractions.

Akinwunmi Adesina

Akinwunmi Adeshina who is now the eighth president of the Africa Development Bank was the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development under Jonathan’s administration. He is the first Nigerian to hold the seat as President of the bank. Akinwumi who became Nigeria’s Agriculture Minister in 2011, assumed the responsibility for a sector neglected for decades because of revenue generated from petroleum.
Under Akinwunmi’s stewardship, food production increased by 22 million tons, food importation dropped more than a third and about 3 million jobs were also created.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who doubled as Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy during President Goodluck Jonathan’s regime received two appointments in September. She was appointed the new chair-elect of GAVI Alliance, and a Senior Adviser at Lazard, one of the world’s leading financial advisory and asset management firm. She is the second African to head GAVI.
During her tenure as the finance minister, Nigeria’s GDP was successfully re-based for the first time in 24 years. The finance ministry through the Central Bank of Nigeria introduced the electronic banking system, also known as the cashless policy. She helped Nigeria’s economy grow by an average of 6 percent per annum over three years.

Omobola Johnson

The former Minister of Communications Technology from 2011-2015.  Omobola Johnson was recently appointed a General Partner to head venture capital firm, TLcom Capital’s new office in Nigeria, their second office in Africa.
During her tenure as Minister, she focused on the launch and execution of the National Broadband Plan, and supported the Nigerian technology industry by pioneering the government’s involvement in a local venture capital fund and building a network of start-up incubators.

Distinguished men and equally distinguished and popular women, Nigerians are proud of your achievements.

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