Benedict Bengiuoshuye Ayade CON ((listenⓘ); born 2 March 1968) is a Nigerian politician who served as the governor of Cross River State from 2015 to 2023.

He hails from Kakum Village, Ipong Ward of Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria.

[2] From his work in groundwater remediation in Nigeria, Ayade invented a sewage treatment plant powered by solar energy.

[5] Ayade recontested in the 2019 gubernatorial elections as a member of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and was reelected as the governor of Cross River State.

On 24 August 2019, Ayade was invested as the Knight of St. John (KSJ) International by the Roman Catholic Church, Sacred Heart Cathedral, the seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Calabar.

[10] In October 2022, he was awarded a national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by President Muhammadu Buhari.