In his first official message as Acting Country Director of BudgIT Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Amenaghawon has outlined a bold and values-driven agenda focused on strengthening institutional excellence, innovation, and staff well-being. He released this in an exclusive chat with AkweyaTV on November 4, 2025.
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Amenaghawon, who assumed leadership following the exit of Mr. Gabriel Okeowo after eight years of service, said the transition marks “a period of intense reflection, learning, and emotion.” He emphasised that the BudgIT team—whom he fondly calls “the humans of BudgIT”—has demonstrated capacity, resilience, and passion that will propel the civic-tech organisation into a new strategic phase.
“Our passion, intellect, and commitment remain our greatest assets,” he said. “We will continue to champion our values, celebrate compliance, address deviations in the spirit of continuous improvement, and invest in improving staff well-being.”
A former Programme Coordinator at the now-defunct Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), Amenaghawon revealed that BudgIT will explore the establishment of a resident endowment fund to secure its long-term sustainability while maintaining focus on open calls, private philanthropies, and multilateral partnerships.
He also pledged to modernise BudgIT’s structure, amplify its voice, and rejuvenate communication to strengthen impact in Nigeria’s crowded digital advocacy space.
“We are keen to rejuvenate our communication and ensure that our stories and advocacy cut through and make an impact,” he noted.
A major component of his vision is to deepen collaboration across teams, strengthen staff capacity, and ensure teamwork becomes BudgIT’s “default mode.”
“We will recognise talent, fill skill gaps, and make shared goals our common pursuit,” he affirmed.
Amenaghawon, who holds a Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy, also highlighted artificial intelligence (AI) as a key frontier for the organisation’s innovation efforts, saying BudgIT will “lean into innovation, particularly in AI for development and civic tech, with greater confidence and ambition.” Before this position, he served as Head, Civic Hive, the innovative arm of BudgiT since 2023, and began providing strategy and growth analytics /advisories to BudgIt in May, 2022.
As BudgIT approaches the conclusion of its current strategy cycle, Amenaghawon said his leadership will focus on laying the groundwork for the 2027–2030 strategy, building on the organisation’s decade-long legacy of civic engagement and fiscal transparency.
He expressed appreciation to Oluseun Onigbinde, BudgIT’s Global Director and Co-founder, and the Global Advisory Board for their continued trust and support, reaffirming his commitment to “add immense value to our shared goals.”
Alongside Amenaghawon, Vahyala Kwaga has been appointed as Deputy Country Director, a new role aimed at reinforcing BudgIT’s operational and policy leadership in Nigeria’s civic technology ecosystem.
“My door is always open,” Amenaghawon told AkweyaTV in conclusion. “Together with the Deputy Country Director, we are available to lead BudgIT to greater heights.”
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