By Abdullah Lukman
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has appointed Professor Kehinde Olufunso Ogunjobi as its Country Representative for Ghana, with the mandate to lead research-for-development and policy engagement initiatives across West and Central Africa.
IWMI said Ogunjobi will collaborate with governments, civil society, and international partners to advance water security, climate resilience, and sustainable development in the region.
Reacting to the announcement, Emeritus Professor of Geosciences Jimmy Adegoke extended warm greetings from his base in Kansas City, USA, to colleagues, friends and associates, noting that it was a fitting moment to celebrate Ogunjobi’s achievement.
Professor Adegoke described the appointment as “well deserved,” recalling Ogunjobi’s previous roles as WASCAL Director of Research and Head of WASCAL’s Competency Centre in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Emeritus Professor Adegoke conveyed to Ogunjobi the community’s “support and best wishes for a very successful tenure at IWMI.”
A seasoned climate scientist with more than 20 years of experience, Ogunjobi previously served as Director and Deputy Executive Director of the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), where he oversaw programs in climate science, water management, renewable energy and sustainable development.
Before joining WASCAL, he lectured at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), heading the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science and the West African Climate Systems Graduate Programme.
Ogunjobi, who holds a PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea, has trained more than 600 emerging scientists, promoted gender inclusion, and helped establish regional platforms for hydroclimatic data.
Aside from being a Fellow of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Ogunjobi has authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications on hydroclimatic modelling, climate adaptation, renewable energy and resilience.
Expressing appreciation for the appointment, Ogunjobi said he looked forward to working with colleagues and partners to co-create solutions that strengthen water security and enhance climate resilience across the region.
IWMI said the appointment reinforces its commitment to delivering research-for-development solutions that address pressing water and climate challenges while deepening collaboration with governments, academic institutions, civil society, and development agencies.
