The 40-year-old Harvard-trained policy expert replaces Ibrahim Olanrewaju, who resigned to contest an elective office
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart, a public policy expert, as his Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).
Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, announced the appointment in a statement issued on Sunday. Olanrewaju-Smart, 40, replaces Ibrahim Olanrewaju, who resigned from the position to contest an elective office in his home state.
The appointment takes immediate effect.
Olanrewaju-Smart’s career in the National Assembly and presidency
Before the appointment, Olanrewaju-Smart served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs, a position he assumed in October 2023.
He previously served as research and media assistant to the Minority Leader and Majority Leader of the House of Representatives during the 7th and 8th Assemblies, respectively, and later as Special Adviser, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Chief of Staff to Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the 9th Assembly.
Onanuga said Olanrewaju-Smart’s public policy research contributed to landmark legislation, including the Interest-Free Student Loan Act.
Olanrewaju-Smart’s academic background
Olanrewaju-Smart holds a doctorate in educational management from Lead City University, a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University, and is an Edward Mason Fellow in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.
He was also a LEAPS Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), earned a professional diploma in public relations from the London School of Public Relations, and served as a policy fellow at Quantum Alliance AI in the United States, where he focused on artificial intelligence and civic technology.
Onanuga said Tinubu is confident that Olanrewaju-Smart will use his “experience, intellect, and commitment to strengthening legislative coordination and relations between the presidency, MDAs and the House of Representatives.”
