Dr. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji
Founder | Rise Networks, Kokokah and Rise Interactive Studios.
Artificial Intelligence for Development | Edtech | Strategic Policy | Media Innovation.
Dr. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji is an Artificial Intelligence for Development, Safety and Governance, Media Innovation, Edtech, and Public Policy Leader. One of Africa’s most respected voices on leadership, innovation, and human capital development, Forbes once named her among Africa’s 20 Most Powerful Young Women, a recognition of her relentless drive to use creativity and knowledge to build people and economies.
Born and raised in Nigeria, Dr. Toyosi has devoted her life to telling stories that matter, building and contributing to institutions that last, and nurturing Africa’s next generation of leaders. Through her company Rise Networks, her globally celebrated films like Makemation, and her numerous thought-leadership engagements, Dr. Toyosi continues to champion the dignity, imagination, and potential of Africa’s people.
Personal Manifesto - A Mission That Drives Impact
“I believe that nations are not built on oil, gold, or diamonds. They are built on people, on minds sharpened by knowledge, on hearts softened by empathy, on voices that dare to speak and hands that dare to build. Our people are Africa’s greatest resource, and their dignity is our richest inheritance. For me, social innovation and storytelling are not entertainment. They are instruments of nation building. Through programs, films and the platforms I create, I tell stories that heal, build, and transform, stories that remind us that imagination can be as powerful as infrastructure, and culture as necessary as capital.
Where creativity meets leadership, change is born. That is why my work sits at the crossroads of art and policy, of innovation and tradition, of Africa and the world. I speak not just to fill rooms, but to echo the voices unheard and to plant seeds in generations unseen. From the rural villages of Nigeria to the halls of the United Nations, my mission is constant: to prove that human beings are worth more than minerals, that values outlast wealth, and that hope is a gift we can all give each other.
This is my creed. This is my work. This is my offering: works, words, images, and ideas, carried from Africa to the world, carrying hope with them.” – Dr. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji
Early Life and Years
Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, Dr. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji never imagined she would achieve the kind of impact and success she has today. Raised by middle-class parents who placed a premium on education, she understood from a young age that education was her most powerful – and perhaps only – leverage to break through the limitations imposed by her environment with integrity, being her second most crucial superpower. In a society where structural inequality stifled potential, especially for young girls, Toyosi saw education not just as a pathway for personal advancement but as a responsibility to change systems and build new ones in Africa.
After attending primary and secondary schools in Lagos and Ogun States where she was Head Girl and Social Prefect respectively, Dr. Toyosi earned a bachelor’s degree in civil law with Second Class Upper Honours from the University of Jos in Plateau State, Nigeria. Even during her undergraduate years, she didn’t wait for doors to open – she created her own. Through volunteer work and internships, she developed practical, hands-on experience in advocacy, public administration, and youth development. She approached her education like a builder studying blueprints, always connecting what she learned to what needed to be fixed or reimagined in the world around her.
After completing her studies in Civil Law at the University of Jos with Second Class Upper Honours, Dr. Toyosi did not wait for opportunities to come to her, she created them. In 2009, while still at university, she started her career journey by publishing Rise Magazine, a youth-interest magazine featuring contributions from her classmates and peers. The magazine quickly grew into a platform that amplified the voices, stories, and aspirations of young Nigerians.
In April 2007, the very month she graduated, backed by several a few corporate partners, she launched the Rise National Youth Forum, a multi-city youth development program where accomplished leaders and entrepreneurs came to teach young people about life, business, and nation-building. Over the next decade, the Forum held the nation spellbound, with massive event centres and university halls across different states packed with hundreds of thousands of young people seeking clarity, inspiration, and opportunities. Many of Nigeria’s high-achieving young professionals today proudly count themselves as alumni of the Rise National Youth Forum.
This extraordinary impact drew global recognition. In 2012, Dr. Toyosi was endorsed and invited by Michelle Obama to join the Young African Women Leaders Forum (YAWL), which later evolved into the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Building on this momentum, she founded Rise Networks in 2012, a pioneering social enterprise focused on data science, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies to empower African youth. By 2018, Rise Networks pivoted and expanded its scope into technology and youth development more broadly, deepening its work at the intersection of education, innovation, and nation-building.
In 2022, Dr. Toyosi extended her vision further by launching Rise Interactive Studios, a multimedia production company dedicated to creating culturally relevant and socially impactful content. Through this platform, she co-produced Makemation, Africa’s first feature film centred on artificial intelligence and the inspiring stories of African girls in STEM.
Dr. Toyosi’s journey reflects a lifelong commitment to education, innovation, and leadership rooted in service to her community and continent.
