Olawale Samuel is an EDC Country Director, Senior Advisor, and seasoned education development leader. For over 20 years, he has advanced access to quality education across Nigeria and Africa. He brings strong expertise in designing and implementing strategies that improve student enrollment, retention, and measurable learning outcomes, particularly for out-of-school children. He has extensive experience mobilizing stakeholder networks, translating policy commitments into scalable programs, and strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration to achieve systemic and sustainable improvements in education systems.  

Olawale is a key member of EDC’s Ready Right Now team that is working to help education systems build sustainable, locally led, high-quality teaching and learning programs for all. Previously, he served as the Africa Regional Hub Coordinator for the Leading Through Learning Global Platform.  

Before joining EDC, Olawale held senior leadership roles with USAID Nigeria, the World Bank, and leading civil society organizations. He has led major national and regional education initiatives and contributed to securing significant funding for education, strengthening national education strategies, and promoting evidence-based decision-making. 

Olawale holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Management from the University of York, England, and a Bachelor of Science in International Studies from Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria.