Founder and CEO of GAIL, Life Coach, Strategic Analyst
The Gambia

Oley Dibba-Wadda is a social development executive and strategic analyst with over 25 years of leadership and management experience. She is an expert in African and international policies on education, gender equality and youth development. She is the Founder, President and CEO of the Gam Africa Institute for Leadership (GAIL). Prior to this position, Oley was the Director of Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development at the African Development Bank.

Before joining the African Development Bank, she was the Executive Secretary of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa, a pan-African Institution hosted by the African Development Bank. Oley also worked as the Executive Director of the Forum for African Women Educationalists; a pan-African organization for promoting the education of girls across sub-Saharan Africa as well as the Executive Director of Femmes Africa Solidarité – an Africa-wide organization working on women, peace and security.

Oley has held several management and advisory roles across various international development agencies, including Oxfam Great Britain, the Commonwealth Education Fund and Concern Universal. She is the current Chair of the Executive Committee of the Association for the Development of Education; the Chair of the Advisory Council of Teach for Africa and a Global Ambassador for 10X10 and Concern Universal.

A certified life coach, over the past 20 years Oley has provided coaching and mentoring support on emotional life skills to young people across the African continent. She is a strong advocate and champion for youth development in Africa.

In recognition of her exemplary contribution towards human development, Oley was awarded the Inspiring Woman of Excellence prize in 2012 and the African Woman Leadership award in 2013. She was one of the nominees for the 2017 New African Woman in Education award.