Summary

Work experience

• Fellow

  Centre on Armed Groups

  2025.02-Current

  (a year)

  • Conduct research on non-state armed groups, conflict dynamics, and armed actor governance; produced 10+ policy reports adopted by international stakeholders. • Track regional political, security, and policy developments, including China's investments and security engagement in Africa. • Built and maintained structured databases tracking armed groups, political actors, and policy developments for risk assessment and analysis.
• Research Fellow

  Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Abuja, Federal Capital territory

  2021.09-Current

  (4 years)

  • Conducted research on political violence, election security, and governance in West Africa, producing policy briefs and risk assessments. • Applied legal and regulatory frameworks to analyze security threats and armed actor dynamics. • Led fieldwork across multiple Nigerian states, collecting primary data and building structured databases of political actors and conflict incidents. • Collaborated with international researchers, including emerging China- focused experts, to support regional policy studies.
• Research Fellow

  Hudson Institute

  2020.10-Current

  (5 years)

  • Authored 15+ policy reports on regional insurgency, terrorism, and geopolitics. • Conducted China-Africa policy research, analyzing investment, security cooperation, and governance impacts. • Built databases to track armed groups, political actors, and election security risks, improving report accuracy and timeliness.
• Independent Consultant

  American Enterprise Institute

  2020.01-Current

  (6 years)

  • Conducted fieldwork-driven research on conflict dynamics, governance, and non-state armed groups across West Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Red Sea region. • Produced policy briefs, security risk assessments, and actionable reports for governments, multilateral agencies, NGOs, and private sector clients. • Maintained and expanded international networks, including emerging China-focused research contacts, to support policy analysis and collaboration. • Built and managed structured databases tracking political actors, conflict incidents, and policy trends, delivering professional briefings and translating complex research into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Short-Term Consultant

  World Bank Group

  2024.06-2025.06

  (a year)

  • Provided conflict and political economy analysis to inform development programming and risk mitigation in fragile and conflict- affected contexts. • Conducted fieldwork-driven research and data collection across African regions to support evidence-based recommendations for governments and multilateral agencies. • Produced policy briefs, analytical reports, and actionable insights, translating complex data into clear recommendations for stakeholders. • Collaborated with international teams and regional partners, ensuring effective stakeholder engagement, knowledge sharing, and project implementation.
• Long-Term Analyst

  IRI/NDI International Election Observation mission (nigeria 2023)

  2023.01-2023.03

  (3 months)

  • Monitored and analyzed election-related security and political violence during presidential, national assembly, and gubernatorial elections across multiple Nigerian states. • Produced daily briefings, risk assessments, and comprehensive post- election reports to inform both domestic and international stakeholders. • Engaged with local government officials, civil society actors, and election authorities, supporting coordination and effective communication of findings. • Applied conflict analysis frameworks and legal-adjacent evaluation methods to assess election security, civil-military relations, and governance risks.
• Visiting Fellow

  Institute of African and Diaspora Studies

  2022.02-2022.05

  (4 months)

  • Conducted independent research on governance and security; collaborated with policymakers and China-focused researchers.
• Fulbright Fellow

  Institute of African and Diaspora Studies

  2021.02-2021.11

  (10 months)

  Territory • Undertook field-based research on conflict and security in Nigeria, contributing to academic and policy discussions through publications and presentations.
• Writer and Researcher

  United States Institute of Peace

  2019.09-2020.10

  (a year)

  • Lead writer and researcher on the first USIP Red Sea Senior Study Group report, analyzing regional security dynamics and U.S. policy implications.
• Analyst

  american enterprise institute - critical threats project

  2018.06-2019.12

  (2 years)

  • Led research on non-state armed actors and regional security, including China's emerging influence in Africa. • Produced policy reports and briefings adopted by governments and multilateral institutions
• Public Interest Fellow

  UT Austin

  2017.09-2018.06

  (10 months)

  • Worked as a researcher at a Washington-based think tank focused on foreign and defense policy in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, including archival research and policy publications.
• Research Assistant

  ut austin - innovations for peace and development

  2016.01-2016.05

  (5 months)

  • Conducted research on political violence, election security, and governance in West Africa, producing policy briefs and risk assessments. • Applied legal and regulatory frameworks to analyze security threats and armed actor dynamics. • Led fieldwork across multiple Nigerian states, building structured databases of political actors and conflict incidents. • Collaborated with international and China-focused researchers, contributing to regional policy studies.
• Survivors of Trafficking Empowerment Program (STEP) Intern

  Refugee Services of

  2015.06-2015.08

  (3 months)

  • Conducted research and documentation on trafficking cases and survivor assistance programs, gathering detailed qualitative and quantitative data. • Supported program development and implementation, assisting with case management and stakeholder coordination. • Produced reports and briefings on findings, demonstrating attention to detail, information organization, and analytical skills. • Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to support policy-relevant recommendations for program improvement.
• English Team Editorial Intern

  Albawaba News Agency, Amman

  2015.01-2015.05

  (5 months)

  • Edited and fact-checked English-language news content on Middle Eastern and African political and security developments. • Conducted research on regional political trends, ensuring accuracy and clarity in reporting for international audiences. • Collaborated with editorial teams to produce timely, high-quality publications, developing strong attention to detail and written communication skills. • Gained exposure to international news workflow and cross-cultural communication, skills transferable to policy analysis and report writing.

Educational experience

• University of Oxford

  DPhil in Politics Candidate

  2023.10-Current

  (2 years)

  Doctoral research focused on conflict, political violence, and armed actor governance, with a regional emphasis on Africa and international security dynamics. Trained in advanced qualitative and quantitative research methods, policy analysis, and fieldwork design, producing original, policy-relevant research for academic and practitioner audiences.
• King's College London

  Master of Arts (MA) in War Studies

  2021.09-2022.07

  (a year)

  Specialized in international security, conflict analysis, military strategy, and political violence, with a strong focus on risk assessment and policy-oriented analysis. Developed advanced skills in structured research, analytical writing, and security reporting, with coursework and projects covering Africa and the Middle East
• The University of Texas at Austin, Texas

  Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Plan II Liberal Arts Honors; History

  2012.08-2016.01

  (3 years)

  Completed an interdisciplinary honors program emphasizing independent research, critical analysis, and advanced writing. Concentrated on modern history, international relations, and political systems, culminating in a senior thesis based on archival research, data analysis, and structured argumentation.

Languages

Certificates

Skills