BudgIT Appoints Vahyala Kwaga To Lead Nigeria Operations

BudgIT, a civic tech organisation working to improve transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement across Africa, has appointed Vahyala Kwaga as country director for Nigeria, effective April 1, 2026.

Kwaga steps into the role following a leadership transition within the organisation, bringing with him a strong track record in governance, research, and institutional leadership.
Since joining BudgIT in 2021, he has held several leadership roles, including Senior Researcher, head of the Open Government and Institutional Partnerships (OGIP) Unit, Group Head of Research and OGIP, and deputy country director.

In these positions, he contributed to strengthening BudgIT’s research output, deepening its policy engagement, and improving coordination across programmes.

Before joining BudgIT, he built a diverse professional background across the legal and private sectors. He has worked as a Legal Officer, Senior Research Associate, and managing partner, with experience spanning law firms, a startup, a media and production company, a think tank and multiple legal practice environments. This range of experience brings both legal depth and practical insight into governance, business, and public systems.

He holds an LLB (Hons.) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and an LLM (First Class) from the University of Ibadan, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Administration at Babcock University, Ogun State.
In his new role, he will lead BudgIT Nigeria with a focus on improving the quality of its outputs, strengthening its influence on public policy, expanding funding opportunities, and driving institutional excellence across its programmes and people.

Speaking on his appointment, Kwaga said, “My focus is to position BudgIT not only as a leading source of public finance data, but as a centre of analysis and insight that actively shapes policy outcomes. We will deepen the citizen-government interface through more consistent engagement platforms, while strengthening our internal capacity to deliver at the highest standard.”

He added, “Our priorities will be clear, improving the quality of our work across all programmes, increasing our influence in public policy, and securing the right funding to scale our impact on the lives of Nigerians and in the regions where we operate.”

Commenting on the appointment, Oluseun Onigbinde, BudgIT’s global director and co-founder, said: “Vahyala embodies the depth of expertise and Clarity of purpose required to lead BudgIT at this stage of its evolution. His leadership reflects a strong grasp of both the technical and institutional dimensions of governance, and we are confident in his ability to further consolidate BudgIT’s role as a leading voice in civic innovation and public accountability across Africa.”

BudgIT also acknowledged the contributions of Joseph Amenaghawon, who provided leadership during the transition period. He will continue in his role as Head of Civic Hive, while also providing administrative oversight for the Lagos office.

At a time when governance challenges are becoming more complex,
BudgIT’s appointment of Kwaga reinforces its commitment to advancing accountability, strengthening institutions, and driving reforms that improve governance outcomes across Nigeria and the African continent.