Nigerian business leader and civil-society advocate Amina Oyagbola has been named the next chair of Afrobarometer’s board of directors. The pan-African research organisation announced Friday, stating that the role is effective April 2025 as she succeeds co-founder E. Gyimah-Boadi, who is stepping down after completing his term.
Oyagbola brings over 35 years of experience in law, corporate governance, and strategic leadership across multiple sectors, including banking, oil and gas, telecommunications, and human resources. A Chevening Scholar, she is a managing consultant at AKMS Consulting Ltd., a senior partner at Oyagbola Chambers, and a former HR and corporate services executive at MTN Nigeria.
She is also the founder of Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), a non-profit initiative focused on gender empowerment, mentoring, and leadership development.
“I am deeply honoured and excited to serve as Afrobarometer’s board chair,” said Oyagbola, who has been a board member since 2019. “Afrobarometer has been a trailblazer in amplifying the voices of Africans through high-quality research and data, and I look forward to contributing to its continued growth and mission to make citizen voice a key pillar of African policy and decision making.”
She added, “The world is changing rapidly – technology, youth engagement, economic transformation – and Afrobarometer is uniquely positioned to provide the insights needed to navigate these changes.”
Gyimah-Boadi co-founded Afrobarometer in 1999 and served as its CEO from 2008 to 2021. He has chaired the board since then and is stepping down due to term limits.
“It has been both a pleasure and an honour to work closely with Amina Oyagbola since she joined Afrobarometer’s board in 2019,” said Gyimah-Boadi. She established her indispensability to the effective functioning of the board right from the beginning of her tenure, especially in the areas of board corporate governance and human resource development. I’m indeed happy to be handing over the AB board leadership to someone with the right blend of expertise, depth of passion for our mission, and breadth of strategic connections.”
Afrobarometer CEO Joseph Asunka praised Gyimah-Boadi’s legacy, describing him as a cornerstone of the organisation’s research excellence and democratic mission over the past 25 years.
“Gyimah’s vision and leadership have been the foundation of Afrobarometer’s successes,” said Asunka. “We are assured that Amina will bring her exceptional experience, expertise, and passion to lead us into an exciting new chapter.”
