Ms. Chansa Kapaya has worked for UNHCR for over 30 years in various capacities and in a number of countries in Southern, Eastern and West Africa and at UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Prior to her appointment as Representative for UNHCR Nigeria in March 2020, she served as UNHCR Representative in Tanzania and before that, as UNHCR Representative in Ghana.

She has also worked in Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, Switzerland and Tanzania in various capacities as Deputy Representative, Assistant Representative (Programme), Head of Vacancy Management Unit in the then Division of Human Resource Management at UNHCR Headquarters.

Ms. Kapaya is from Zambia, she holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology and Development Studies from the University of Zambia. Prior to joining the UN in 1988, Ms. Kapaya worked at the University of Zambia as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and with Save the Children Federation/US in Zambia as a Programme Support Officer.