The Expert Advisory Council exists to provide technical, commercial and governance judgment to the GGGI Leadership. The Expert Advisory Council is not a decision-making body and is not concerned with the management of GGGI processes. Rather, it provides expert information and opinion to assist the GGGI Leadership and the outputs of the GGGI.
Emmanuel Sofa is the Founder and Executive Director of the Stand Out For Environment Restoration (SOFER) Initiative, a community centered, Non-Governmental Organization impacting communities through environmental solutions based in Nigeria. Since 2010, he has been engaged in environmental advocacy. He is a United Nations Clean Seas prize winner for Human-Marine Litter Problems and Solutions.
Emmanuel designed and led the implementation of the Fishing Net Gains project which is adjudged by the International Maritime Organization as well as the Food and Agriculture Organization to be one of the nine best global solutions addressing marine plastic litter. The Fishing Net Gains project has impacted 13 coastal communities in Nigeria and Cameroon through the retrieval of 2,466kg of waste fishing gears, capacity building for 305 women/girls in ghost gear upcycling, and employment for 31 community indigenes as data collectors.
Emmanuel is a past member of the Solutions Working Group of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative. He is passionate about community service, aviation safety and sports.