The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced the appointment of Pius Ughakpoteni as its new corporate affairs director.
The appointment which was made public on Friday, came after the retirement of Ibitoye Abosede, who had held the position until now.
Mr. Ughakpoteni, a media expert, previously served as the director of the Abuja Liaison Office and later as the director of New Media, leading a team of professionals to share the commission’s successes through digital tools and platforms.
His appointment comes with a new mandate to merge the New Media Department with the Corporate Affairs Directorate to create an integrated system to handle the NDDC’s external and internal communications, and brand strategy.
An elated Ughakpoteni said, “This is a significant change and a great opportunity for me and my team to leverage our skills and experiences to support the NDDC in achieving its goals of facilitating the rapid, even, and sustainable development of the Niger Delta region.
“I am confident that we have the talents, creativity, and passion to deliver on this mandate and to make a positive impact on the lives of millions of people in the region.”
The new NDDC spokesperson has put in over 30 years of professional services that straddle journalism, management, public relations, and research across Nigeria’s private and public sectors.
Born in Eruemukohwarien, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State Mr. Ughakpoteni attended St Paul’s Primary School, Ughelli, from where he moved on to the Government College, Ughelli.
His next stop was Auchi Polytechnic, Delta State, where he graduated in 1983 with a National Diploma in Business Administration.
From there, he continued on to the University of Calabar, Cross River State, where he graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in Management.
Mr. Ughakpoteni, who has been passionate about his professional career, completed three master’s degrees in six years from three universities in England.
These include a Master of Science in Business and Management Research from the University of Reading’s Henley Business School (2017), Master of Business Administration in Leadership and Sustainability from the University of Cumbria (2014) and a Master of Arts in Leading Innovation and Change from York St. John University in 2013.
He had earlier bagged a diploma in Public Relations from the Maidstone House, Maidstone, United Kingdom Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) in 2012.
Mr. Ughakpoteni began his career as a Management Assistant in 1991.
Two years later, he moved into journalism as a Researcher/Reporter at Nigeria’s THISDAY newspaper, where he worked on the Business, Energy, and Politics desks before joining the Leadership Newspaper Group as an Associate Editor.
Since joining the NDDC in 2004, he has risen from the position of Senior Manager to Director Media Relations.
Mr. Ughakpoteni has helped to broaden the scope of media coverage of the Commission in his various roles, collaborating with colleagues at the NDDC and newsrooms across the country.
His research interests are in the areas of leadership, sustainability, innovation, change, and strategy implementation.
