Omobola Johnson, Nigeria’s communication technology minister. CC image courtesy of the World Economic Forum, on Flickr.
Nigeria’s minister of communication technology Omobola Johnson has been elected chairperson of the United Nations (UN) Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD).
In a statement, the Nigerian Ministry of Communications and Technology said the election took place at the end of the 17th Session of the Commission, held in Geneva, Switzerland.
“The position of chairperson is for a period of one year and presents an opportunity for Nigeria to play a role in discussions that will shape the role of science and technology in development. These discussions will also include deliberations on the manner in which the internet could be governed globally,” Efem Akanga, special assistant (media) to Johnson, said in a statement.
The CSTD is composed of 43 member states elected by the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for a term of four years, with members meeting annually for a period of one week.
Nigeria is one of the eleven African members, with its tenure ending in 2016.
