Prof. Irja Indongo SASSCAL's new ED
The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) announced the appointment of Professor Irja Nelago Indongo as its new executive director, effective 1 June 2025.Indongo takes over from Dr Jane Olwoch, who served in the role for the past seven years. Based at the SASSCAL Regional Secretariat in Windhoek, she will oversee the organisation’s climate change and land management programmes across Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia.
A seasoned social scientist, Indongo brings over 13 years of leadership experience from the University of Namibia, including roles as Director of the Multidisciplinary Research Centre and Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Development. She holds a DPhil in Sociology from the University of Pretoria.
Her academic and governance credentials include significant contributions to research, climate change policy, and curriculum development across the Southern African region. She has also served on the Namibia Statistics Agency Board.