NAI ASSOCIATE

Adebayo Olukoshi has more than 35 years of experience in the area of international relations, governance and human rights, both in the academic sector and in intergovernmental institutions. Between 2015-2021 he was Director for Africa and West Asia at International IDEA.

Adebayo started his career at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) working as Research Fellow. Senior Research Fellow, Associate Research Professor, Director of Research and Studies and Research Professor between the years 1987-1998.

At NAI, he was Senior Research Fellow/Research Programme Coordinator for the Research Programme on The Political and Social Context of Structural Adjustment in Sub-Saharan Africa (1994-2001).

Between 2001-2009 he was Executive Secretary at the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA).

Adebayo then worked as Director a.i. at the African Governance Institute (AGI), Senegal 2010-2013, Director for the United Nations African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP), Senegal 2009-2015 and Director Regional Office for Africa and West Asia, and the Liaison Office to the African Union at International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) 2015-2021.

His academic qualifications include Doctor of Philosophy (Politics), 1986 at the University of Leeds, England, and Bachelor of Science (International Studies) with First Class Honours, 1982 at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria.

Academic honors include Young Outstanding Person of Nigeria Award for Academic Leadership in 1990, Outstanding Academic Scholar of the Year, University of Johannesburg in 2016 and Hall of Fame Inductee, Real News Magazine (2018).

Honorary positions include Norwegian Nobel Institute Visiting Fellow 1994, Distinguished Visiting Professor, Covenant University, Otta, Nigeria (2015/2016) and Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Johannesburg (2016 – 2021). 

During the years, he has been editor or member of a large number of Editorial Boards, Advisory Boards, Councils and Committees and is currently Chair of the Board, European centre for Development Policy Management (ECFPM), Maastricht, The Netherlands (2016 to date) and Member of the Governing Council, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.

He has published 20 books, the latest being Speaking Truth to Power: Selected Pan-African Postcards of Tajudeen Abdulraheem (Oxford: PAMBAZUKA Press/Fahamu Books, 2010) (Jointly Compiled with Ama Biney) as well as numerous monographs, articles in academic journals, chapters in books and other papers.

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