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Acting Director

Charles Wanguhu is a Pan-Africanist with a focus on good governance and human rights. He is the founding director of the Enzi Ijayo-Africa Initiative, an initiative that focuses on Africa’s future development in the context of a global climate crisis. Wanguhu brings to NRGI broad experience in the management of natural resources and in energy governance. Since 2016 he has been on the board of the Africa Centre for Open Governance, a think tank with a focus on the structural causes of corruption, where he was formerly head of programs (2008–13). 

Wanguhu is an analyst and has written widely on the political economy of oil exploration and production. He was previously the coordinator of the Kenya Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas, which coordinates civil society to provide a collective voice on oil, gas and broader extractive issues. He also held the position of civil society gas lead at the African Climate Foundation in 2022. Other previous positions include the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights. 

Born in Kenya, Wanguhu earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire and his master’s in international and commercial dispute resolution at the University of Westminster. He is an alumnus of the Draper Hills Fellow Program at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law. 

Director of Programmes

Maria is a senior business executive with 20 years’ work experience in shipping, oil and gas regulation and banking in Ghana, West Africa. She is a respected thought leader in maritime infrastructure project development, maritime decarbonization, coastal and short-sea shipping. Ms. Ogbugo is passionate about developing bankable and transformational projects to meet Africa's infrastructure needs and she believes that climate action presents an opportunity for Africa to grow its maritime sector in a climate resilient way. She has consulted for many organisations including the International Maritime Organization, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), African Policy Research Institute, and recently for the Climate Champions Team.

Senior Policy Officer: Public Finance

Maria is a development economist with experience in providing analytical insights  and evidence-based policy advice. She has led and coordinated the delivery of programmes within philanthropy, think tanks, and policy institutes in southern and east Africa. Her core mission is to drive policy and systemic shifts that contribute to Africa’s transformative agenda. Maria is an alumni of the Future Leaders Programme at SOAS, University of London and the New Structural Economics Summer School at Beijing’s Peking University. She holds an MCom (Cum Laude) from the University of the Witwatersrand. 

Senior Policy Officer: Trade

Shimukunku is an economist and trade expert with 10 years experience in trade promotion, policy analysis and research. He holds a BA in Economics from the University of Zambia and an MSc in International Trade Policy and Trade Law from Lund University, Sweden. Shimukunku  has worked for the Zambia Development Agency as an Export Development Officer and as a Researcher at the Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR) where he rose to the rank of Head of the Trade and Investment Unit. More recently, he held the role of Project Manager (Regional Trade and Value Chains) at the Delegation of the European Union to Zambia and COMESA. He has undertaken consultancy work for the International Trade Centre, International Labour Organisation, African Development Bank, KPMG and Enhanced Integrated Framework, among others. 

Research Assistant

Kasonde is an economist and researcher with over five years experience in evidence-based research, policy analysis and policy advocacy. He has an interest in Pan-African and development studies, as well as environmental economics and international trade. He is passionate about leveraging his expertise to contribute to valuable insights at the intersection of economic theory and real-world policy challenges at regional, continental and global level. Kasonde is eager to drive positive impact through informed decision-making and innovative solutions in the global economic landscape. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from Copperbelt University, Zambia and a Master of Science Degree in International Trade Policy and Trade Law from Lund University.

Media Relations & Communications Associate

Ozayr Patel is a seasoned journalist, editor, and communication professional with a strong background in digital media, research, and audience development. With experience spanning newspaper, TV, and online journalism, he has held key editorial roles, including Digital Editor and Section Editor, focusing on climate, environment, and broader news coverage. Passionate about digital journalism and innovative storytelling, Ozayr specialises in making complex topics accessible to diverse audiences through various media platforms.