May Agbamuche-Mbu, the newly appointed Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is no stranger to leadership, law, or public service.
Upon her Tuesday appointment, Agbamuche-Mbu steps into a critical role in Nigeria’s democratic machinery and at a time just two years away from the next major electoral event.
Her leadership comes as INEC faces growing scrutiny over logistics, voter confidence, and institutional transparency.
Since joining the Commission in 2016 as a National Commissioner, Agbamuche-Mbu has played an integral role in electoral administration, policy development, and legal oversight. Over nearly a decade, she has earned a reputation within the Commission for her meticulous attention to due process and her balanced approach to electoral governance. As the longest-serving commissioner, her elevation represents continuity at a time when stability within the institution is essential.
Early life and education
Before her work at INEC, Agbamuche-Mbu had already built a formidable reputation in Nigeria’s legal and corporate landscape.
Born in Kano to parents from Delta State, she grew up in a multicultural environment that shaped her understanding of Nigeria’s diversity, an asset in managing the complexities of electoral operations. She attended St. Louis Secondary School, Kano, before earning her LLB in Law from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1984.
She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985 and soon after expanded her professional expertise abroad. In the United Kingdom, she attended the College of Law, London, qualifying as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
She later obtained an LLM in Commercial and Corporate Law from Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, followed by postgraduate degrees in International Dispute Resolution and International Business Law.
Her time abroad refined her perspective on governance, institutional accountability, and cross-border regulation insights that would later inform her public service work in Nigeria.
Her career
Before joining the public sector, Agbamuche-Mbu was Managing Partner at Norfolk Partners, a Lagos-based commercial law firm advising clients in energy, finance, and corporate sectors.
- Parallel to her law practice, she established herself as a thought leader in legal journalism as Editor of THISDAY LAWYER, a weekly supplement of THISDAY newspaper. Between 2014 and 2016, she authored more than 120 editorials under her column Legal Eagle, offering incisive commentary on governance, reform, and the rule of law.
- Her first major entry into public service came in 2010, when she was appointed the sole solicitor on the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee (PPAC), a federal task force charged with auditing Nigeria’s incomplete public projects. She later served on the Ministerial Committee that drafted the Road Map for the Solid Minerals Sector in 2016.
- Agbamuche-Mbu is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Nigeria Branch, where she previously served as Secretary, and remains a strong advocate for alternative dispute resolution.
Now at the helm of INEC, Agbamuche-Mbu faces one of the most demanding assignments in Nigeria’s governance space, steering the Commission toward greater credibility and efficiency.
Known for her quiet confidence and legal discipline, she is expected to bring both continuity and reformist energy to INEC’s leadership. For a country gearing up for another election cycle, her appointment signals a steady hand at the wheel, one rooted in experience, competence, and institutional integrity.
