His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), has approved the appointment of Dr. Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart as the new Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).
The appointment, announced by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, takes effect immediately.
Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart succeeds Ibrahim Olanrewaju, who recently resigned from the position to contest an elective office in his home state.
At 40, Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart brings an exceptional mix of legislative institutional memory, public administration expertise, and cutting-edge policy credentials to the Executive-Legislative relationship:
He holds a Doctorate in Educational Management from Lead City University, a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government (where he was an Edward Mason Fellow), and a Professional Diploma in Public Relations from the London School of Public Relations.
He is a former LEAPS Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Policy Fellow at Quantum Alliance AI in the United States, specializing in civic technology and artificial intelligence application in governance.
Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart has served across multiple assemblies in the National Assembly. His career spans roles as Research and Media Assistant to the Minority/Majority Leader (7th and 8th Assemblies), Special Adviser, Deputy Chief of Staff, and ultimately Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House of Representatives during the 9th and 10th Assemblies.
His research and advisory portfolio includes work on key reform legislations, including the landmark Interest-Free Student Loan Act. Prior to this appointment, he served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs since October 2023.
President Tinubu expressed absolute confidence in Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart’s ability to leverage his deep understanding of the legislative process, academic expertise, and public policy acumen to foster seamless coordination between the Executive arm, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and the House of Representatives.
The appointment underscores the Administration’s commitment to building strong, collaborative, and constructive ties with the legislature to advance the Renewed Hope Agenda and deliver critical policy reforms for the Nigerian people.
