Together we make great things happen.

Our Team

Meet Our Team

Adeboye Adegoke

Senior Program Manager

Adeboye is a Nigerian based open web advocate working as Program Manager for Paradigm Initiative’s Digital Rights Program for Anglophone West Africa. He works at the intersection of technology and human rights as well as the implications for the digital economy. Adeboye successfully led paradigm Initiative’s advocacy effort for the passage of an Internet Rights Bill by Nigeria’s parliament. He works around the subject of data privacy, freedom of expression, association online etc.. He monitors Internet-related policies and actively advocate for an open Internet, physically through advocacy meetings, lobbying, sometimes training for legislators, policymakers, civil society, journalists and often remotely through information sharing, public education activities via writing, interviews and articles.

Amina Idris

Program Assistant (North West, Nigeria)

Amina attended Air Force Primary and Secondary School, Ikeja, Lagos. She studied Biochemistry at Bayero University, Kano, and her hobbies are cooking and reading. She is completing a 6-month internship with Paradigm Initiative, at the Dakata LIFE Centre, in Kano, as part of the Microsoft #Interns4Afrika program.

Angela Onyegbuna

Program Assistant (South West, Nigeria)

Angela is a graduate of Computer Science from Anambra State University. A creative thinker, she loves reading and meeting people, and she has a strong passion for ICT. After completing a Microsoft #Interns4Afrika internship with Paradigm Initiative in August 2017, Angela now works as a full-time staff with the organisation.

Bilikisu Muhammad

Office Assistant

Bilikisu is an alumnus of the DakataLIFE program. She now works as Office Assistant at DakataLIFE, helping to train underserved youth just as herself.

Bulanda Nkhowani

Program Officer (Southern Africa)

Bulanda Tapiwa Nkhowani is a seasoned Communications Professional and holds a BA (Hons) in Media Studies and Sociology from the University of Namibia. Bulanda’s introduction to Internet Governance came when she was privileged to be part of the Young Professionals Programme (YPP) at the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency under the e-Africa ICT Programme. There she developed a passion for ICT Policy and Internet Governance. Her work includes researching and compiling data for the Africa Internet Governance Ecosystems and conducting a survey on Capacity Building Needs to support Internet Public Policy Dialogues. She is an Africa School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) 2015 Alumni and is passionate about technology and the evolution of the internet. Bulanda has keen interest in, development, entrepreneurship, human rights and exploring how technology and the internet can enhance livelihoods particularly for the youth and women; and leverage Africa’s advancement. She works with Paradigm Initiative as the Digital Rights Program Officer for Southern Africa.

Ekai Nabenyo

Program Officer (East Africa)

Ekai Nabenyo is a distinguished youth leader, human rights activist and social change-maker based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a holder of a Diploma in Information Community Technology from Alphax College (Kenya), a Certificate in Leading Change from the University of Cambridge (UK), a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) from the University of Nairobi (Kenya) and a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from the University of Dar es Salaam (United Republic of Tanzania) with a specialization in Migration and Refugee Law.
Before proceeding for postgraduate studies, Nabenyo served as a Principal Research Officer in the Senate Chamber of the Parliament of the Republic of Kenya where he played a key role in research and policy analysis. As a result of a positive track record of community development and youth empowerment in his home region in Northern Kenya, Nabenyo has been recognized at home and abroad. He was named a Spark International Change-Maker in 2014, a Queens Young Leader in 2016 and was recently named among 'The 2018 Top 100 Most Influential Young Kenyans' by Avance Media and partners.
Nabenyo is passionate about the protection and promotion of human rights for the benefit of all.

Emmanuel Vitus

Communication Officer

Emmanuel Vitus is a web-journalist, Communication Consultant and Internet Policy Researcher.
Based in Accra (Ghana) since 2014, Emmanuel works to advance professional journalism and digital freedom with media and the Internet rights defenders globally. He firmly believes that all Internet governance stakeholders must get engaged, to ensure that the internet remains open, pluralistic and democratic.

Through research, reporting and policy analysis of Internet governance issues, I seek to educate citizens to challenge power and encourage democratic debate across Francophone Africa. His interest topics include Freedom of Expression, Digital Rights and Privacy, Access and Affordability, Internet security and Cyber Diplomacy. Emmanuel joined Paradigm Initiative team in December 2018 as Google Policy Fellow for Francophone Africa. He was later appointed Communications officer in September 2019.

Gabreal Odunsi

Program Officer (South West, Nigeria)

Odunsi Gabreal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago- Iwoye, Ogun State. He was a member of Student In Free Enterprise (SIFE) – a student organization involved in community-based projects. He has a passion for education and youth development and has volunteered for several youth development oriented programs. He previously worked at Basol Associates Limited as a Geologist before joining Paradigm Initiative as Program Assistant (AjegunleLIFE). He is now a Program Officer of the L.I.F.E program.

‘Gbenga Sesan

Executive Director

‘Gbenga Sesan is the Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, a pan-African social enterprise working on digital inclusion and digital rights through its offices in Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zambia. He is also a Non-Resident Fellow at the Digital Civil Society Lab at Stanford University. Prior to starting Paradigm Initiative, 'Gbenga led the Lagos Digital Village, a joint project of Junior Achievement of Nigeria, Microsoft and Lagos State Government. Originally trained as an Electronic & Electrical Engineer at Obafemi Awolowo University, he completed Executive Education programs at Lagos Business School, New York Group for Technology Transfer, Oxford University, Harvard University, Stanford University, Santa Clara University and University of the Pacific. 'Gbenga's consulting experience includes assignments completed for numerous institutions, including Microsoft, Harvard University and United Nations agencies, among others, in over 30 countries. A Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year and former member of the United Nations Committee of eLeaders on Youth and ICT, he is a CyberStewards Fellow, Crans Montana Forum Fellow, Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow, Ashoka Fellow, Our Common Future Fellow and Cordes Fellow. ‘Gbenga served as a member of the Presidential committees on Harmonization of Information Technology, Telecommunications and Broadcasting Sectors (2006) and Roadmap for the Achievement of Accelerated Universal Broadband Infrastructure and Services Provision (2013), and was listed by CNN as one of the Top 10 African Tech Voices on Twitter and by Ventures Africa as one of 40 African Legends Under 40. ‘Gbenga is married to Temilade Sesan, PhD, an expert on Energy Poverty and Development.

Hashiru Muhammad

Security Officer

Hashiru Muhammad works as a Security Officer at Paradigm Initiative.

Ihueze Nwobilor

Program Officer (South East/South, Nigeria)

Ihueze holds a B.Sc. in Geography and Environmental Management from University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. He has development work experience spanning over 9 years. Prior to joining Paradigm Initiative, Ihueze worked as a Programme Officer with Development Initiatives Nigeria (DEVIN), an NGO that partners with national and multinational companies in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. He is an expert in working with youth and women in the area of micro-enterprise and business development. He currently works as the South-East Program Officer with Paradigm Initiative.

Lilian Edike

Administrative Assistant

Edike Lilian Ngozi studied Philosophy at the Lagos State University. She is a self-motivated individual with high creativity who is also dedicated to breaking new grounds in her community. She is currently working as a Front Desk Officer with Paradigm Initiative.

Ndubuisi Agbandu

Office Assistant

Nnenna Paul-Ugochukwu

Chief Operating Officer

Nnenna is a management professional with 15 years combined experience driving operations across diverse profit and non-profit organizations. She started her career as a Financial Advisor at ARM Investment Managers and was predominantly an IT professional before serving in executive positions in the technology, education and creative media industries in Nigeria and internationally. She holds a First Class Honours B.Sc. in Computing and studied at the University College London for an M.Sc. in Data, Communications, Networks and Distributed Systems.

An avid volunteer from age 8, often in a teaching and mentorship capacity, Nnenna is very passionate about the holistic development and wellbeing of youth especially in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. She has mentored groups of youth in technology and entrepreneurship with Ajegunle.org, a PIN project; spearheaded training programmes dedicated to underprivileged youth; led child sexual abuse prevention training for adults and developed afterschool programs. More recently she co-pioneered Teen Talk in Calabar, Nigeria - an interactive forum for teenagers by teenagers that provides a safe space and a platform where young ones can freely and openly express ideas and contribute meaningfully regarding issues of key concern to them.

Nnenna is a huge sports enthusiast who adores her family, loves travel, reading and playing her musical instruments.

Odinakachi Nwafor

Program Assistant (South East/South, Nigeria)

Odinakachi is a humanitarian and self-initiator, including the ability to diagnose and analyze problems, as well as provides solutions. After completing a Microsoft #Interns4Afrika internship with Paradigm Initiative in August 2017, he now works as a full-time staff with the organisation.

Olayinka Taiwo

Administrative Officer

Olayinka Taiwo is a dynamic young man with keen interest in Finance, ICT4D, Youth and National Development. He is a member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Olayinka currently works as Program Officer (Techtiary) at Paradigm Initiative.

Oluwaseyi Adefemi

Finance and Asset Officer

Oluwaseyi Adefemi is a young, enterprising, energetic and dedicated professional. She has previously worked with a range of non-government organizations where she held finance and accounting roles. A graduate of Accounting from the University of Jos, she is fully knowledgeable in general accounting, payroll, and budgeting. She is particularly concerned with implementing innovative accounting practices and procedures to improve efficiency.

Onyekachi Mesoma Favour

Office Assistant

Oyindasola Ohanugo

Human Resources Manager

Rigobert Kenmogne

Program Officer (Francophone Africa)

Rigobert Kenmogne was born in Cameroon. He is a journalist and has many years of practice and experience. He is the holder of a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Public Policies, diploma obtained at the Faculty of Political and Juridical Sciences (FPJS) of the University of Yaoundé II in Cameroon. He is engaged in human rights advocacy, with a special focus on digital rights in Africa. He was a Google Fellow at Paradigm Initiative in 2018 where he supported advocacy and research effort in Francophone Africa. He is currently the Digital Rights Program Officer (for Francophone Africa).

Ruth Obimba

Office Assistant

Obimba Ruth is an alumna of the AjegunleLIFE program. She loves ICT, writing and art. Ruth believes that knowledge is fun but its more fun when shared; hence she is passionate about teaching.

Sani Suleiman Sani

Program Assistant (North West, Nigeria)

Sani Suleiman Sani is a graduate of Geography science from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, currently pursuing his Masters degree on Remote Sensing and GIS in the same university. He is a tech enthusiast also a digital rights and digital inclusion activist.

Sani worked previously as a data analyst, before moving to a banking industry as ATM custodian and customer service officer. Sani is a graduate member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) and a founding member of Zero tolerance for corruption club (ZTCC) among others.

Sani hailed from Kano and he's a book lover. He authored 3 pamphlets about social media account hacking and business branding.

Saviour Kalebwe

Communications Assistant

Saviour Kalebwe is a seasoned Graphic Designer & Communications specialist. Savious has over a decade of experience across all design disciplines, including advanced knowledge of Adobe CS, Indesign, Photoshop and Illustrator; and advanced knowledge of end-to-end processes with experience in print and out of home (specific to product development).

Saviour has extensive experience in multimedia marketing, social media management, communication strategy and development. He has worked with a variety of fields including advertising agencies, non-profits and corporate entities. With a strong passion for communication, design and technology, he constantly seeks new knowledge and challenges to develops his skills, and of those around him.

Thobekile Matimbe

Community Manager

Tosin Abolaji

Program Manager

Abolaji Oluwatosin studied Business Administration at the University of Ado-Ekiti, he has a passion for business and managed some successful outlets during his growing up years. He worked as a Sales Person/Representative in several organizations before he switched career to follow his passion in youth development. He joined Paradigm Initiative as a Program Assistant and he is now Program Manager for the Digital Inclusion program.

Ubong James

Office Assistant

Ubong James is an active young man who is currently an Office Assistant at the Paradigm Initiative Aba LIFE Center. He is an alumnus of the 2014 Aba LIFE program with a passion for Information and Communications Technology. He loves music and is a chorister in his church.

The Board

Prof. Pat Utomi

Chairman, Advisory Board

Patrick Okedinachi Utomi (born February 6, 1956) is a prominent professor of political economy and management expert. A Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria and a former presidential candidate, he has a passion for the dignity of the human person and the spirit of enterprise. He is the founder of Centre for Values in leadership (CVL) and the African Democratic Congress party. He is presently a professor at Lagos Business School. He has served in senior positions in Government, as an Adviser to the President of Nigeria, the Private Sector, as Chief Operating Officer for Volkswagen of Nigeria and in Academia

Jummai Zainab Umar-Ajijola, PhD

Member, Advisory Board

Jummai Zainab Umar-Ajijola, PhD, the Executive Chair and CEO of the Business People (tbp) Limited, is a highly motivated professional with about three decades of working experience that spans across the Public and Private Sectors, International Development Organisations and International Non-Governmental Organisations. Dr. Umar-Ajijola holds a Doctorate Degree in Public Administration & Policy Analysis.

Dr. Umar-Ajijola was the Corporate Social Responsibility Lead for Microsoft Corporation, West Africa. Before then, her career has seen her work with ActionAid International Nigeria, where she currently serves, as Member Board of Trustees; she was also with the United Nations Education Scientific & Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting PLC. She has worked across the continent impacting several thousand people.

Dr. Umar-Ajijola is a Fellow of Academy of Engineering and Technology for the Developing World (AETDEW), Malaysia; Institute of Strategic Management Nigeria (ISMN); Institute of Corporate Administration Nigeria (ICAD); Institute of Human Capital Development of Nigeria (IHCDN). She is a Member of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) and Nigeria Institute of Management.

She has served on several committees, including the Presidential Committee on Drafting the Community Radio Policy as Member/Secretary; Coordinator, Women’s Group & Member Central Working Committee (CWC) Vision 20:2020, Joint Consultative Committee on National Framework for Building Partner Ecosystem, amongst others. She is also a contributor to Nigeria’s socioeconomic and political discourse on radio and television.

She is an international speaker and sits on the faculty of several leadership institutes and Board of Charities including the membership of the Advisory Council of the International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre, Malaysia. Dr. Umar-Ajijola is a UNESCO Expert on Science, Technology and Innovation. She is also a European Union Expert on recovery and peacebuilding.

Dr. Umar-Ajijola is the Moderator of the “Interfaith Forum” program that is simulcast on Television and Radio. It features people of different faiths discussing topical issues, with emphasis on our collective humanity and what binds us, as well as breaking down stereotypes and building bridges.

She is a recipient of several national, regional and international awards including the prestigious Executive Leadership Award for support to the Women and Children of Liberia.
Dr Jummai Zainab Umar-Ajijola specialises in Human Development, Organisation Effectiveness, Science, Technology and Innovation, Recovery and Peacebuilding, Policy Initiatives, Capacity Building and Wealth Generation.

Dr. Jummai Zainab Umar-Ajijola is married and blessed with children.

Aida Opoku-Mensah, PhD

Member, Advisory Board

Dr Opoku-Mensah is currently working for the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as Special Advisor to the ECA Executive Secretary on Special Initiatives & SDGs/Agenda 2030, and her responsibilities includes the coordination of activities at the continental and global levels, working with key partners. She also has special responsibilities for coordinating activities on Illicit Financial Flows (IFF) and managing the High Level Panel on Migration in ECA. Her previous roles in the same organization were as Director, ICT, Science & Technology Division, where she managed ECA’s programme on Harnessing Information, Science and Technology for Africa’s Development, which included the Knowledge, Library and Information Services programme. As Director of that division, she specifically led and implemented impressive initiatives such as UNECA’s African Information Society Initiative (AISI) a continental digital agenda supporting African countries to develop and implement national ICT4D policies and strategies, Technology in Government in Africa Awards (TIGA) to encourage African Governments’ use of technology for development, and was one of the co-architects of the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) – an initiative to encourage African innovators and inventors to enhance their roles in the African development process.

Dr. Oluseyi Adebayo-Olubi

Member, Advisory Board

Seyi is a highly respected entrepreneur with a proven gift for business development, strategy, and marketing. He started his first business at age 16. A qualified medical doctor, his rich breadth of experience spans several sectors from entertainment to real estate, energy, retail and management. Seyi, an alumnus of Fate Foundation (Nigeria), is a partner at O’bibi Consult, with an enviable track record of delivering innovative solutions that leverage existing resources to provide maximum value. Dr. ‘Seyi, as he is often called, is a member of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (N.I.M.N).

Nick Jekogian

Member, Advisory Board

A New York-based real estate entrepreneur, Nickolas W. Jekogian III is the President and CEO of Signature Group Investments and CEO and Chairman of Presidential Realty Corp., a publicly traded real estate investment trust. An experienced industry thought leader with over 25 years in real estate investment and management, Nick began his career in college when he bought his first apartment building in Philadelphia. He has since made more than 1,000 separate equity, debt or corporate acquisitions with a deal value in excess of $1 billion.

Nick led the real estate roll out of Commerce Bank – one of the fastest growing retailers ever – along the entire east coast from the early stages until its sale for over $8.2 billion in 2009. Nick’s holdings include apartment buildings throughout the United States with Signature Group and retail shopping center developments on the east coast with Site Development.

‘Gbenga Sesan

Executive Director

‘Gbenga Sesan is the Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative. Originally trained as an Electronic & Electrical Engineer at Obafemi Awolowo University, ‘Gbenga completed Executive Education programs at Lagos Business School, New York Group for Technology Transfer, Oxford University, Harvard University, Stanford University, Santa Clara University and University of the Pacific. His consulting experience includes assignments completed for numerous institutions, including Microsoft, Harvard University, and United Nations agencies, among others, in over 30 countries. A Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year (2014) and former member of the United Nations Committee of eLeaders on Youth and ICT, he is a CyberStewards Fellow, Crans Montana Forum Fellow, Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow, Ashoka Fellow, Our Common Future Fellow and Cordes Fellow. ‘Gbenga served as a member of the Presidential committees on Harmonization of Information Technology, Telecommunications and Broadcasting Sectors (2006) and Roadmap for the Achievement of Accelerated Universal Broadband Infrastructure and Services Provision (2013), and was listed by CNN as one of the Top 10 African Tech Voices on Twitter and by Ventures Africa as one of 40 African Legends Under 40. ‘Gbenga is married to Temilade Sesan, Ph.D., an expert on Energy Poverty and Development.