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About
Toyin Akinniyi
Toyin Akinniyi is a leader in the philanthropy and global development sectors with extensive experience in public policy, technology innovation and governance, and broad governance and socio-economic justice issues. She has about two decades of experience across roles in leadership, strategy, impact investing, media development, grantmaking, communications, civic engagement, and stakeholder management.
Toyin is a Stanford Draper Hills Fellow, speaker, and member of Advisory Boards and Steering Committees. Toyin is a published author, with her work featuring in books – including African Muckraking: 75 Years of Investigative Journalism from Africa; Remaking Nigeria: Sixty Years, Sixty Voices, Her Story: Taking Root, Sparking Change – and articles including in Alliance Magazine, The Guardian, African Arguments, The East African, Premium Times, among others.
She has also been involved in collaborative efforts like the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund, the Joint Civic Defence Fund, and the West Africa Democracy Fund, focusing on youth innovation and civic participation, the protection of civic space, and the advancement of efforts to strengthen democracy in increasingly digital West African countries.
Toyin is currently Vice President and a member of the Leadership Team at Luminate. In this role, she leads the Foundation’s philanthropic work in Africa at the intersection of technology and economic and social justice, and efforts to enhance inclusive participation, ensure safe avenues for challenging power, and improve access to trustworthy information across the African continent.
In previous roles at the Natural Resource Governance Institute, Toyin managed media development programmes to strengthen natural resource governance reporting across Anglophone Africa and globally and later led efforts to strengthen natural resource governance in Nigeria through multi-stakeholder management and thought leadership. She had previously also supported the emergence of an investigative tradition in Nigeria through her work at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism. Before this, she worked across sectors and issues – as a lecturer, and in programme management of health, gender, ICT4D, HIV/AIDS awareness, and efforts to make markets work for all.
Toyin has a M.A in Peace and Conflict Studies and a B.A in English. In addition, she has certificates in impact investing, journalism, project management, natural resource governance, and communications for development.
She enjoys sharing her wealth of experience through formal and informal mentorship and peer learning avenues. She loves coffee, travelling, quiet walks, music of different genres, and making memories with her family of four and her many nieces and nephews.
Toyin Akinniyi is a prominent leader in international development, currently serving as Vice President, Africa at Luminate . In this role, she spearheads initiatives to enhance civic and political participation, ensure safe avenues for challenging power structures, and improve access to trustworthy information across the African continent.
Toyin’s career encompasses a wealth of experience in media development, strategy, program management, communications, research and advocacy, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), grantmaking, civic engagement, and stakeholder management . Prior to joining Luminate, she held various roles at the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), where she advanced resource governance goals in Nigeria, managed media programs across Anglophone Africa, and contributed to global media initiatives . Earlier, at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, she worked on enhancing Nigeria’s investigative journalism landscape through research, strategy development, media monitoring, and program management.
Toyin holds a Master of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria . She is also a Stanford Draper Hills Fellow.
As an author, Toyin has contributed to works such as African Muckraking: 75 Years of Investigative Journalism from Africa and Remaking Nigeria: Sixty Years, Sixty Voices . She actively engages in discussions on social justice and governance, emphasizing the importance of inclusive participation and healthy information ecosystems
Under Toyin’s leadership, Luminate continues to support efforts aimed at improving democratic governance in Africa, including protecting civic spaces and strengthening media . She has also been involved in collaborative efforts like the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund and the Joint Civic Defence Fund, focusing on youth civic participation and the protection of civic space.
Toyin’s extensive career encompasses roles in media development, strategy, program management, communications, research and advocacy, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), grantmaking, civic engagement, and stakeholder management. Prior to her tenure at Luminate, she held various positions at the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), where she advanced resource governance goals in Nigeria, managed media programs across Anglophone Africa, and contributed to global media initiatives. Earlier, at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, she worked on enhancing Nigeria’s investigative journalism landscape through research, strategy development, media monitoring, and program management.
Toyin Akinniyi is a distinguished international development professional with over 17 years of experience in advancing social justice, governance, and civic engagement across Africa. She currently serves as Vice President, Africa at Luminate, a global philanthropic organization dedicated to empowering people to participate fully in civic and political life, challenge power safely, and access trustworthy information.
As Featured In
Awards & Recognitions
- Toyin Akinniyi recognised among 18 women of African descent leading global organisations. She was recognised for her leadership in technology policy and philanthropy
- Toyin Akinniyi has been recognized for her contributions to international development and governance
- She is a Stanford Draper Hills Fellow, an acknowledgment of her leadership in advancing democracy and social justice
What I Do
01.
Governance & Civic Innovation
Design and implement programs that strengthen democratic governance and citizen empowerment across Africa.
02.
Strategy, Communications & Advocacy
Craft strategic narratives, lead advocacy campaigns and elevate social justice causes
03.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning
Develop M&E frameworks to measure impact, inform adaptive learning and drive continuous improvement.
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As a Programme and Research Officer with the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Toyin helped improve the media and investigative journalism landscape through her roles including programme design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, facilitation, and research towards the Centre’s programme areas