Tinubu Appoints Buhari’s Ex-Aide Ismaeel Ahmed as Chairman of Presidential CNG Initiative
In a fresh wave of strategic appointments, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has named Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed as the new Executive Chairman of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi), NewsVista has gathered.
This significant development was announced on Friday, June 27, via the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of the Presidency. It was also confirmed in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.
Ismaeel Ahmed, a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari on the National Social Investment Program, is expected to steer the PCNGi—an initiative designed to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal by promoting cheaper, cleaner, and more accessible energy alternatives.
According to NewsVista reporters, this appointment places Ahmed at the helm of one of Tinubu’s flagship intervention programmes, aimed at easing economic pressure on ordinary Nigerians through sustainable energy reform.
At 45, Ahmed brings a wealth of experience and academic excellence to his new role. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Abuja in 2005 and was called to the Nigerian Bar a year later. He later obtained a master’s degree in International Relations, Communications, and Diplomacy from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, in 2008.
Reacting to the appointment, political commentator and lawyer, Barrister Deji Adeyanju, praised the president’s decision. In a post on his verified X account, he said, “Ismaeel, though in APC, is a very decent guy. Congratulations.”
In a related development, NewsVista also learned that President Tinubu appointed Grace Henry as the new head of the National Council of the Nigerian Legion on Thursday, June 26. According to a statement by Abdul Lauya, Senior Special Adviser to the Chairman of the Legion on Media and Digital Communication, Henry’s appointment marks a historic moment—she becomes the first woman and the first non-commissioned officer to lead the revered veterans’ body.
Meanwhile, the president has also constituted the board of the newly established Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO). The board will be chaired by Adesegun Olugbade, while Engineer Abdu Mohammed Bello has been named Managing Director. Other key appointments include executive directors overseeing critical departments like Market Operations, Systems Planning, and Finance.
With these appointments, the Tinubu administration appears to be reinforcing its governance architecture with trusted figures and fresh perspectives.
Leave a Reply