From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced the appointment of Ms. Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef as the new UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by UNICEF Communications Specialist, Sussan Akila, and made available to journalists on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Wafaa brings over 20 years of experience in international humanitarian and development work, with a strong track record in advancing the rights and well-being of children and vulnerable communities.
Before her new appointment, she served as UNICEF Representative in Somalia, where she led key initiatives that significantly improved outcomes for children despite the country’s complex humanitarian context.
Her career with the United Nations spans senior roles in UNICEF, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the World Food Programme (WFP) in various countries including Sudan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Syria and Ethiopia. She has also worked in leadership positions at the global level with OCHA in New York and Geneva.
Wafaa began her professional journey in Sudan, where she worked with the private sector, academia and non-governmental organisations on projects related to displaced populations and environmental conservation. She holds a Master of Architecture from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, a Master of Science in Physical Planning from the University of Khartoum, and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture.
The statement highlighted that during her tenure in Somalia, Wafaa demonstrated strong leadership in advancing UNICEF’s mission amid complex humanitarian challenges. Her expertise covers programme management, coordination and strategic planning across humanitarian and development contexts.
“UNICEF Nigeria is confident that Wafaa’s extensive experience and unwavering commitment will contribute significantly to Nigeria’s progress in achieving the rights and well-being of every child. We warmly welcome her to Nigeria and look forward to her leadership in this vital mission,” the statement added.
UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. In Nigeria, the organisation partners with government and other stakeholders to strengthen programmes in child protection, education, health and nutrition.