President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr. Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart as the new Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).
The appointment takes immediate effect and is aimed at strengthening coordination between the Presidency and the lower chamber of the National Assembly.
Olanrewaju-Smart replaces Hon. Ibrahim Olanrewaju, who stepped down from the position to pursue an elective office in his home state.
The new presidential adviser is widely known within legislative and policy circles, having built a career that spans the National Assembly and the Presidency.
He holds a PhD in Educational Management from Lead City University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University. He is also an Edward Mason Fellow in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Over the years, Olanrewaju-Smart has participated in several international leadership and policy programmes.
He was 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 also served as a Policy Fellow at Quantum Alliance AI in the United States, where he focused on artificial intelligence and civic technology.
His experience within the National Assembly stretches across different administrations and leadership structures.
He served as Research and Media Assistant to both the Minority and Majority Leader of the House of Representatives during the 7th and 8th Assemblies.
He later rose through the ranks to become Special Adviser, Deputy Chief of Staff and subsequently Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
He served in key strategic positions during both the 9th and 10th Assemblies, gaining extensive experience in legislative administration and executive-legislative engagement.
In October 2023, Olanrewaju-Smart joined the Presidency as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs. In that role, he worked closely with federal institutions and government stakeholders on policy coordination and implementation.
His policy contributions also include involvement in the development and advancement of major legislative initiatives. Among them is the Interest-Free Student Loan Act, a law designed to expand access to higher education financing for Nigerian students.
President Tinubu expressed confidence in the ability of the new adviser to strengthen working relations between the Presidency, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and members of the House of Representatives.
According to the President, Olanrewaju-Smart’s experience, knowledge of parliamentary processes and commitment to public service will be valuable in enhancing legislative coordination and supporting the administration’s policy agenda.
Moreover, in September 2022, the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, appointed Olanrewaju-Smart as Chief of Staff in the Speaker’s Office following the resignation of Hon. Sanusi Garba Rikiji, who left to contest for elective office.
Announcing the appointment at the time, Gbajabiamila praised Olanrewaju-Smart’s dedication and performance within the legislature.
The Speaker stated: “Until his appointment, Mr. Olanrewaju-Smart was the Deputy Chief of Staff and had performed his duties admirably.”
The appointment was widely seen as recognition of his years of service within the National Assembly, where he had worked in different capacities and played key roles in legislative operations.
Following the inauguration of the 10th House of Representatives in June 2023, Olanrewaju-Smart again retained a prominent position within the legislature when he was appointed Chief of Staff to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
His growing influence within government circles became even more evident months later when President Tinubu brought him into the Presidency as Senior Special Assistant on Intergovernmental Affairs.
Speaking in an interview on his contributions to public policy, Olanrewaju-Smart highlighted his involvement in educational reforms and student-focused legislation.
He said: “One of my proudest achievements was contributing to the initiation process and passage of the interest-free Student Loan Act, making higher education more accessible to Nigerian students.”
He added: “From 2013, when it was first sponsored by Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and repeated legislation in the 8th and 9th assemblies, the drive to see indigent students pull through their education without financial hindrances has been topmost on my mind.”
