Kyari Elected Chair of IFAD Governing Council

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has been elected chairperson of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD.

A statement from the ministry said Kyari was elected during the 49th session of the IFAD Governing Council meeting held Tuesday in Rome, Italy. He had previously served as vice-chair of the council.

The ministry noted that IFAD is a specialised United Nations agency and international financial institution focused on reducing rural poverty and strengthening food systems through investments and partnerships.

Accepting the position, Kyari said he would carry out the mandate with fairness, inclusiveness and strategic foresight while upholding the institution’s integrity and credibility.

He said the election reflects Nigeria’s growing global standing under President Bola Tinubu’s administration and cited the government’s focus on food security, agricultural transformation and reforms.

Kyari also acknowledged the support of Minister of State for Agriculture Aliyu Abdullahi, Permanent Secretary Marcus Ogunbiyi and other ministry officials. He added that the appointment shows confidence in Africa’s role in global agricultural governance amid challenges such as climate change, economic pressures and conflict.

President Tinubu congratulated Kyari on the election, describing it as a vote of confidence in his leadership and agricultural reforms. The president said he expects Kyari to provide strong leadership for IFAD and wished him a successful tenure as chair of the council.