Ibrahim Gambari, a former foreign affairs minister and diplomat, has been appointed a distinguished visiting scholar at the Centre for Africana Studies, University of Pennsylvania, US.
The appointment was announced by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD), an Abuja-based non-governmental organisation founded by Gambari.
According to the centre, the appointment took effect on January 1, 2026, and will run until August 31, subject to renewal.
The offer was conveyed in a letter dated February 13, 2026, by Wale Adebanwi, director of the Africana Studies centre at the University of Pennsylvania.
The University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1740 by American diplomat and scientist Benjamin Franklin, hosts the Centre for Africana Studies, which focuses on research and scholarship on African culture, history, and contemporary development.
The SCDDD described the appointment as recognition of Gambari’s contributions to academia, diplomacy, peace and conflict resolution, governance, and development.
During his tenure, Gambari is expected to engage students and scholars on issues of global governance and share the vision behind the Savannah Centre, which focuses on promoting diplomacy, democracy, and development.
“The appointment is yet another testament of the global recognition of Professor Gambari’s outstanding contributions to the fields of academia, peace and conflict resolution, good governance and development,” the statement reads.
The centre added that scholars and students from Nigeria and across Africa stand to benefit from his engagement at the institution.
Gambari is a professor of political science and international relations who has held several public service roles. He served as the chief of staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
He also served as Nigeria’s minister of external affairs and as the country’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations.
The Savannah Centre congratulated Gambari on the appointment, expressing confidence that his experience and expertise would contribute to the work of the Africana studies centre. [TheCable]
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