The Archbishop of Canterbury has appointed a Nigerian clergy and community activist, Ijeoma Ajibade, as his next chief of staff, to succeed David Porter who will stand down in November.

This was announced in a statement released on the mission’s website on Thursday.

“I am delighted that Ijeoma will be joining the senior team at Lambeth Palace. To this vital role, she brings remarkable experience and skills from her ordained ministry, charity and local government work, and community activism. In our complex and troubled world, I know we will benefit greatly from Ijeoma’s international perspective, honed while serving with Mission to Seafarers as well as with numerous charities.

“What connects all these strands for Ijeoma is a deep and abiding love of Jesus Christ – and a passion for the common good based on justice, dignity and human flourishing. I look forward to working with her enormously and I will pray for her in the months ahead as she prepares to join the Lambeth Palace community,” Archbishop Justin Welby said.

As a priest in the Church of England, Ms Ajibade has served in the Dioceses of Southwark and London and also as Mission to Seafarers’ Regional Director for Europe for the past six years.

She combines with these a successful career in secular and government work having held several positions in the UK public sector including working for two previous Mayors of London on economics and business policy – Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson – working in audit and special investigations, housing advice and homelessness as well as administering welfare benefits.

As a community activist, Ms Ajibade has spent several years working on human rights, and HIV awareness and prevention. She has served on the boards of a number of organisations including NAZ Project London, the Marylebone Project, African Health Policy Network, the Kaleidoscope Trust, the Bisi Alimi Foundation and the Merchant Navy Welfare Board.