Life Coach, Strategic Analyst, Social Development Executive, Politician [The Gambia]
Oley Dibba-Wadda is a highly accomplished social development executive, strategic analyst, and advocate for education, gender equality, and youth development in Africa. With over 25 years of leadership and management experience, she has made significant contributions to human capital development and policy innovation across the continent.
As the former Executive Director of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center), Oley provided strategic leadership, oversight, and management for the organization while serving as its spokesperson and board secretary. She is also the founder, president, and CEO of the Gam Africa Institute for Leadership (GAIL), an organization dedicated to nurturing Africa’s next generation of leaders.
Oley has held several prestigious roles, including Director of Human Capital, Youth, and Skills Development at the African Development Bank, and Executive Secretary of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), a pan-African institution hosted by the Bank. She has also served as Executive Director of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), where she championed girls’ education across sub-Saharan Africa, and Executive Director of Femmes Africa Solidarité, advocating for women, peace, and security.
Her career spans advisory and leadership positions with international organizations such as Oxfam Great Britain, the Commonwealth Education Fund, and Concern Universal. She currently chairs the Executive Committee of ADEA and the Advisory Council of Teach for Africa, and she is a Global Ambassador for 10X10 and Concern Universal.
A certified life coach, Oley has spent more than two decades mentoring and coaching young people across Africa, focusing on emotional life skills and leadership development. Her work has established her as a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and leadership on the continent.
Oley’s contributions have earned her several awards, including the Inspiring Woman of Excellence award (2012) and the African Woman Leadership Award (2013). She was also nominated for the New African Woman in Education Award in 2017, further cementing her reputation as a leading voice in human development.
Through her unwavering dedication to transformative change, Oley Dibba-Wadda continues to inspire and empower the next generation of African leaders.