His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Governor of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, has been elected President of the Forum of African Regions (FORAF). The election renews Nigeria’s mandate to lead one of Africa’s foremost platforms for regional cooperation.
The election took place on June 22, 2026, during FORAF’s General Assembly in Tangier, Morocco, on the sidelines of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) (@UCLGAfrica) World Congress and World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders.
The Congress convened under the theme “A New Generation of Universal Local Public Services” brought together regional and local leaders from across the globe to discuss issues of democratic governance, equitable service delivery, and the future of decentralised administration in an increasingly interconnected world.
Nigeria’s return to the FORAF presidency was unanimous. It reflects the confidence that African regional bodies have placed in Nigeria’s subnational leadership.
Governor AbdulRazaq will be supported by regional vice presidents; Mr. Ousmanou Oumarou (Association of Regions of Cameroon), Ms. Mbarka Bouaida (Association of Regions of Morocco)(@mbarkabouaida), Mr. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu County, Kenya) (@AnyangNyongo), and Mr. Panyaza Lesufi (@Lesufi) (Gauteng Province, South Africa).
The NGF Secretariat congratulates His Excellency on this appointment and acknowledges the pioneering stewardship of former FORAF President, H.E. Dr. Kayode Fayemi (@kfayemi), who led the Forum from its founding in 2022.
Nigeria’s renewed leadership of FORAF signals a continued commitment to amplifying the voice of African regions and deepening decentralised cooperation across the continent.
