Kalu Benjamin Okezie is a Nigerian politician who contested the 2023 House of Representative Elections as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Abia.

Biography

Benjamin Okezie Kalu is a Nigerian politician who is currently serving as the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria since 2023. He represents the Bende federal constituency.

Benjamin Okezie Kalu was born on 5 May 1971 in Agbamuzu, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. He holds multiple degrees, including a Master of Business Administration from Oxford Brookes University, a Master of Law in terrorism and international humanitarian law (distinction), and a Bachelor of Law (LL.B Hons.) from the University of Calabar.

Kalu was called to the Nigerian Bar after completing his studies at the Nigeria Law School in Enugu State, Nigeria. In 2025, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in public policy and strategic studies from the University of Abuja with the thesis titled Government Capacity to Integrate International Climate Adaptation Strategies and Policies in Nigeria.

Additionally, Kalu has obtained several certifications in Migration and Human Rights from John Cabot University, Italy; Illicit Trade from the University of Groningen, Netherlands; Governance and Development from Miami Herbert Business School, Miami University, USA; Environmental Crimes from the UNICRI, Italy; and International Commercial Arbitration from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIARB) at the University of Oxford, UK.

Kalu's political career began in 2002 when he contested for the House of Representatives primaries. He served as the Local Government Chairman (Transition) for Bende Local Government Area, Abia State, and held various advisory roles to the then Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu. He has also served as the National Chapter President of the Peoples Democracy Party in Diaspora, the youngest Local Government Chairman of Bende Local Government Area, and Senior Special Adviser to Theodore Orji on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Abia State.

Re-elected in 2023, Kalu is currently the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria. His roles in the 10th Assembly include chairman of the Constitution Review and Amendment Committee. As the spokesperson of the 9th Assembly, he proposed and supported various bills, motions, and acts, including the Acts Authentication Act and the Nigerian Communications Act.

He currently serves as Chairman of the House Committee on the review of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution. Kalu is the convener of the Peace in the South East Project (PISE), which aims to resolve insecurity in the South East Region using non-kinetic means. He also led the Sudan Darfur Project in Australia for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, focusing on fundraising and refugee orientation.

He is the founder of the Benjamin Kalu Foundation. Kalu is married and has five children.

Party Positions

Policy positions from the All Progressives Congress (APC) party manifesto.

Agriculture

Launches the Irrigate Nigeria Project as a public-private partnership to develop small-scale irrigation and water catchment systems using modern technology to boost agricultural productivity.

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Security & Defense

Will deploy modern aerial surveillance and advanced technology to monitor and deter intrusions into oil pipelines, power stations, and other critical national infrastructure in real time.

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Environment & Climate

Accelerates the environmental cleanup and re-establishment of fisheries and profitable aquacultural activities in the Niger-Delta region to counter violent extremism and poverty-driven disaffection.

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Economy & Trade

Will implement the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and additional favorable policies to attract investment in deep-water assets within 6 months, including encouraging signature bonus negotiations and royalty reliefs.

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Infrastructure

Creates regional industrial hubs in specific zones (North West, North East, South East, South South, South West, North Central) to focus on labor-intensive manufacturing, with tailored investments (e.g., textiles, dry ports, glass, pottery, solid minerals, regulated mining).

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Enterprise grant support

Work with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to simplify loan processes for commercial banks, mandate federally owned banks to provide low-cost loans to youth-led enterprises, and expand business incubation centers to support youth innovation.

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Energy

Will mandate gas metering equipment on all facilities where gas flaring occurs within 6 months and establish a special enforcement unit to monitor compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) on gas flaring reduction, with non-compliance leading to financial penalties for affected communities.

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Governance & Reform

Reserve at least 3 cabinet positions for individuals under 40 and 6 more positions for members under the age of 40, and mandate that at least 20% of political appointments to Ministries/Dangomas (MDAs) be reserved for individuals under 40.

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Education

Raises the priority of addressing out-of-school children, establishes a task force to review and strengthen programs like school feeding, and aims to reduce disaffected youth recruitment by violent groups.

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Healthcare

Will establish a network of upgraded, equipped, and staffed general hospitals in every Local Government Area, tertiary facilities in each State, and world-class specialist hospitals in each geo-political zone to improve healthcare accessibility and quality.

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Technology & Digital

Supports the development of MSMEs through partnerships with fintech players to expand access to capital and business development services.

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Reliefs and scholarships

Commits to a conditional income support program requiring recipients to meet human capital goals (school attendance, healthcare, nutrition) in exchange for payments.

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