Omolara Balogun

Associate

Omolara Balogun is the Head of Policy Influencing and Advocacy at the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), with over two decades of progressive experience in strategic advocacy, nonprofit leadership and civil society ecosystem development across Africa.

She is an international development practitioner and advocacy strategist working at the intersection of democracy, governance, gender justice, decolonisation, civic space and civil society resilience. She also serves as Country Lead for WACSI Node Nigeria, where she leads the Institute’s efforts to strengthen civil society effectiveness through capacity development, knowledge generation, policy influencing and advocacy, and support for an enabling regulatory environment.

A recognised thought leader, facilitator and high-level convener, Omolara is a certified Master Trainer with the World Bank/IFC and Change the Game Academy. She serves on the boards of several nonprofit and corporate organisations, including Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, Centre for Health Social Services for Young People (CHSSYP), and KeySystem Technologies, among others.

Omolara is an alumna of the Harvard University Executive Programme in Behavioural Science in Public Policy and the Coady International Institute’s Advocacy Programme at St. Francis Xavier University. She holds advanced degrees in Law and Development from the University of Ghana Law School and Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ibadan, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in History and International Relations from Obafemi Awolowo University.