Nigerians in Diaspora Commission Celebrates Amadi's McDonald’s Role and Ighedo's Historic Math PhD

Hon. Abike Dabiri‑Erewa, Chairman and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), issued a statement praising two Nigerian women for their recent milestones. Ugwechi Amadi was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of McDonald’s. She holds a MIT degree, is a Rhodes Scholar, earned a PhD from Oxford and has held senior positions at LIV Golf, Nike and Boston Consulting Group.

Prof. Oghenetega Ighedo made history as the first Black woman to receive a PhD in Pure Mathematics from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and serves as an associate professor of Mathematical Sciences at UNISA. Dabiri‑Erewa said their achievements demonstrate the talent, resilience and intellectual capacity of Nigerians abroad, and highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for young Nigerians—especially women and girls—in STEM and leadership fields. She reaffirmed NiDCOM’s commitment to celebrating diaspora successes that strengthen Nigeria’s global reputation.