Former INEC chair, Mahmood, arrives Doha to resume as Nigeria’s ambassador to Qatar
Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has arrived in Doha to formally assume duties as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Qatar.
Yakubu, whose tenure as chairman of the electoral commission ended late last year, was among the diplomats appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a recent round of diplomatic postings.
The former electoral umpire arrived in the Qatari capital on Wednesday and was received at the airport by Ambassador Ibrahim Yousif Abdullah Fakhro, Director of the Protocol Department at Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Also on hand to welcome the Nigerian envoy were 13 African ambassadors accredited to Qatar, Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), Philip Mshelbila, and President of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Qatar, Michael Ndukaihe Ihekwaba.
Yakubu’s appointment marks a significant transition from electoral administration to diplomacy, placing him at the centre of Nigeria’s engagement with one of the Gulf region’s most influential states.
Observers say the former INEC chairman assumes office at a time when Nigeria is seeking to deepen economic cooperation with Qatar, particularly in energy, investment and trade.
Both countries are major players in the global gas industry, with analysts noting that closer collaboration could support Nigeria’s drive to expand gas production and attract investments into its energy sector.
