Dr Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, the chair of NIFAAS Board of Trustee, is the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigeria and has over 32 years of experience working in public service.  He started his career at the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) and has held high-level positions in finance and accounting at the National Sports Commission and Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence.  Appointed by the President of Nigeria in 2018 as a Permanent Secretary he has served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Common Services Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and in the Ministry of Works and Housing. He was appointed to his current position in January 2021.  His area of specialization is Administration and Management. He holds a PhD in Security and Strategic Studies and a Master’s in Business Administration and is a fellow of several professional bodies in the field of his specialization.