Confident, articulate and impact-driven, Olufunmi Olaosun represents a generation of African leaders who understand that influence is not about visibility alone, but about measurable change. An award-winning communications strategist and social impact leader from Nigeria, she has built a career at the intersection of strategy, youth development, women’s empowerment and institutional transformation.
With over a decade of experience leading communications strategy and high-visibility initiatives, Olufunmi has worked across the development ecosystem as well as within private sector and government institutions. Her expertise spans strategic communications, brand strategy, operations and programmes management, leadership communication, executive presence training, public speaking and youth development. What distinguishes her work is not only its breadth, but its depth and consistency of impact.
Her academic foundation reflects the same commitment to excellence that defines her professional journey. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Lagos, complemented by professional certificates from Michigan State University, the University of Oxford and Lagos Business School. This blend of local grounding and global exposure has sharpened her strategic thinking and strengthened her capacity to design programmes that respond to real societal needs with clarity and structure.
Yet qualifications alone do not define her story. Results do. Olufunmi has executed over 70 impact projects and mentored young people across countries, including Afghanistan and Belgium. Through workshops, structured leadership programmes and cross-border engagements, she has equipped emerging leaders with practical tools in communication, strategy and execution, demonstrating that intentional leadership development can transcend geography.
Her influence within the U.S. Department of State-supported Young African Leaders Initiative Network Nigeria further solidified her reputation as a capable and visionary leader. Serving in multiple leadership roles, she contributed to strengthening youth engagement structures and advancing coordinated national impact. Her work within the network reflected her belief that leadership must be institutional, sustainable and collaborative in order to endure.
That philosophy is most visible in the organisations she founded. As the Founder of MyLEAPS Initiative and Women Can Lead Global, Olufunmi has created platforms dedicated to leadership acceleration, empowerment and sustainable community transformation. MyLEAPS Initiative focuses on equipping young people with leadership, employability and communication skills, while Women Can Lead Global champions the advancement of women through strategic leadership development and executive presence training.
In 2025, her work received further global recognition when she was selected as a Mandela Washington Fellow, the flagship leadership programme of the Young African Leaders Initiative. The fellowship affirmed her leadership trajectory, expanded her international network and reinforced her commitment to scaling impact beyond borders. It also strengthened her resolve to continue building systems that empower individuals and strengthen institutions.
At the core of Olufunmi Olaosun’s journey is a simple but powerful understanding: strategy is most meaningful when it serves people. Whether mentoring a young leader, advising on communications architecture, training executives on presence and influence, or designing community programmes, she approaches leadership as both a discipline and a responsibility. In a world that often celebrates noise over substance, her work stands out for its intentionality, structure and measurable outcomes.
