Modupe Adefeso-Olateju

Dr. Mo Olateju is a fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Universal Education, where she leads the Network for Education Systems Transformation (NEST), a global network of 11 Global South organizations partnering with Brookings to research education systems transformation towards a breadth of skills.

She founded TEP Centre, Nigeria’s pioneering education partnership organization, and led its LEARNigeria citizen-led assessment and advocacy programme. She also established the annual pan-African education innovation summit, NEDIS, now in its ninth year.

As an appointee to the three-member Presidential Policy Advisory Council (PAC), she articulated education sector priorities for Nigeria’s current national government. Previously, she drafted a section of Nigeria’s 2011–2015 education strategy and was a member of the technical team that developed Nigeria’s Medium- and Long-Term National Strategic Plans.

She chairs the U.S. board of the Malala Fund, sits on the boards of Human Capital Africa and Slum2School Africa, and serves on the Global Advisory Council of the Teach For All Global Institute for Shaping a Better Future.

She graduated from UCL Institute of Education with a PhD in Education and International Development, and earned a master’s degree with distinction from the same university. She is a Fellow of the Asia Global Institute in Hong Kong.