Indongo Appointed as SASSCAL’s New Executive Director

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Windhoek: The governing board of the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) has appointed Irja Nelago Indongo as its new executive director, effective 01 June 2025.



According to Namibia Press Agency,SASSCAL Communications Officer Ester Nakanduungile announced that Indongo will lead the organisation from its regional secretariat in Windhoek. As the executive director, she will be responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation, and strategic direction of programmes across the five SASSCAL member countries, which are Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia.



SASSCAL is a collaborative initiative between southern African countries and Germany, aimed at strengthening scientific knowledge and capacity to address climate change and promote sustainable land management in the member countries. Indongo succeeded former executive director Dr Jane Olwoch, who served at the helm of SASSCAL for the past seven years.



Indongo holds a DPhil in Sociology from the University of Pretoria, along with Master’s and Honours degrees from the University of Southampton, and a Bachelor of Science from UNAM. She is recognized as a social scientist with expertise in social statistics and sociology, having advanced through the academic ranks at the University of Namibia to become an associate professor.



Over the years, Indongo held several senior roles, including Director of the Multidisciplinary Research Centre, Director of the Research Services Centre, and Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Development. Nakanduungile noted Indongo’s leadership experience extends to governance, having served as vice chairperson of the Namibia Statistics Agency board and chair of several board committees.



‘Looking ahead, SASSCAL is confident that Professor Indongo’s visionary leadership, regional insight, and strong academic and governance background will drive the organisation to new heights in addressing climate and sustainable development challenges in southern Africa,’ Nakanduungile said.