Babatunde Omilola

Dr. Babatunde Omilola is Regional Poverty Reduction Practice Leader with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Service Centre for Eastern and Southern Africa. Prior to joining UNDP, he worked with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington D.C., USA, as Coordinator of the Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System for Africa. At the UNDP, he provides strategic policy advisory services to African countries and regional institutions on issues related to poverty reduction, inclusive growth, economic development, trade, regional economic integration, the MDGs, food security, social protection and human development. In the past, Dr. Omilola worked with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), where he handled FAO liaison functions with the African Union Commission (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). He has worked on a collaborative anti-poverty evaluation programme between the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), African Development Bank (AfDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), FAO and the World Bank. He has also worked with the Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London; and the Projects Coordinating Unit, Federal Government of Nigeria. Dr. Omilola has conducted capacity-building assignments on the intersection between global poverty and international development. He has served as an economic advisor to many African governments and institutions. Dr. Babatunde Omilola holds both MPhil and DPhil degrees with specialty in Development Economics from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, United Kingdom where he studied as a Ford Foundation International Fellow and an International Graduate Research Fellow of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada.He also holds a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria