Kayode Olanorin

Kayode is a governance, youth development, and strategic communication specialist with over 20 years of experience supporting government and development programmes across Nigeria. His career has evolved from media production and audience research into strategic communication, social and behaviour change communication, policy communication, knowledge management and institutional strengthening. He has extensive experience in audience research, stakeholder engagement, community mobilisation, media engagement and the development of communication strategies, toolkits, training materials and public information products.

His work spans governance, peacebuilding, youth development, civic participation and conflict-sensitive communication. He currently serves as Senior Partner, Governance, Policy and Strategic Communication at STRATCOMM Consulting, supporting government and development partners on youth development, migration, climate resilience, institutional strengthening and strategic communication.

Senior Partner, Governance, Policy and Strategic Communication at STRATCOMM Consulting (2025-10 – Present)

Lead governance, youth development, policy and strategic communication advisory work, including support to the Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD) on institutional strengthening, youth development, migration, climate resilience, partnerships, stakeholder engagement, knowledge management and strategic communication.

Research and Strategic Communication Consultant at Mambayya House, Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Studies, Bayero University Kano / Gates Foundation / Ideas and People (2025-12 – 2026-04)

• Led dissemination of research covering 19 Northern states and 10,570 respondents, developing state-level factsheets, policy communication materials, and presentation resources, and coordinating stakeholder mobilisation, copy-editing, design, and media engagement.

Consultant, Crosscutting Communication and Reporting at Kano State Government / DAI / Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) / Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE) (2025-12 – 2026-03)

• Led outcome-focused communication and reporting, documenting governance and climate-policy implementation through evidence-based impact stories and translating programme learning into accessible communication products.

Technical Director at Gates Foundation / Univista Media – Enhancing External Voice and Communications (EEVC) Project (2025-02 – 2026-02)

• Led strategic communication, multimedia production, and editorial quality assurance for public-interest campaigns, developing audience-centred messages and content on malaria, misinformation, and GMO/TELA maize issues that generated 20M+ impressions and reached 5M+ people.

Strategic Communications Consultant – Sustainable Transport and Climate Action at Kaduna State Transport Regulatory Authority / DAI / FCDO / PACE (2025-11 – 2025-12)

• Led development of the Strategic Communication Chapter of the Kaduna State Sustainable Transport Policy, applying audience-focused messaging, stakeholder analysis, and evidence-based communication to build public understanding, trust, and support for climate-smart transport.

Institutional Strengthening and Policy Consultant at Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) / Tetra Tech / FCDO / SPRiNG (2025-10 – 2025-11)

• Supported review of Agro Rangers Standard Operating Procedures, Training of Trainers materials, and conflict-sensitive community engagement approaches across Benue, Plateau, Katsina, Kaduna, and Abuja.

Senior Producer (Consultant) at BBC Media Action / Gates Foundation Family Planning Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Project (2025-08 – 2025-09)

• Guided development and finalisation of a multi-platform SBCC communication framework and Theory of Change, translating research into communication strategy, content and stakeholder-validated communication materials.

Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Consultant at Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) / FCDO / PACE (2025-08 – 2025-09)

• Strengthened the Corporate Communication Unit's capacity in strategic communication, stakeholder engagement, and audience-focused communication for tax reform, including practical training and application of communication tools.

Project Manager at BBC Media Action, Nigeria (2022-03 – 2022-11)

• Managed a development communication portfolio covering health, social inclusion, climate change and humanitarian communication, coordinating programme delivery, stakeholder engagement, capacity building and communication activities with 200+ broadcasters, development agencies and government stakeholders.

Knowledge Management and Communication Manager at LINKS – Catalysing Economic Growth for Northern Nigeria; £70 million UK Government-funded programme implemented by Tetra Tech International Development (2019-11 – 2021-02)

• Led communication and knowledge management strategy, stakeholder engagement and policy communication for a major Northern Nigeria development programme, producing accessible knowledge products and supporting communication around climate-smart agriculture and policy advocacy.

Communication and Knowledge Coordinator at Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND Foundation), funded by Chevron Corporation (2018-06 – 2019-11)

• Led communication and media activities, developed programme reports and knowledge products, managed digital platforms, and translated programme evidence and community-level experiences into accessible stories and communication materials.

Media Portfolio Manager at Enhancing Nigerian Advocacy for a Better Business Environment (ENABLE2) / UK Aid / Adam Smith International / Springfield Centre (2014-03 – 2017-11)

• Managed media partnerships, journalist mentoring and communication activities across investigative, business, agriculture and rural reporting, strengthening media capacity, audience engagement and communication of development issues.

Public Health Communication Researcher at Partnership for Transforming Health Systems Phase II (PATHS2); £240 million UK Aid-funded programme implemented by Abt Associates (2009-06 – 2012-08)

• Led audience and target-group research and supported community mobilisation and evidence-based health communication across six states, including technical support to behaviour change communication officers and community engagement through the Ask Nigeria initiative and Theatre for Development.

Senior Research and Information Officer at KPMG Professional Services (2008-02 – 2009-07)

• Conducted policy, competitive intelligence and stakeholder research and translated findings into management information, knowledge products and communication materials supporting organisational decision-making and business development.

Senior Development Producer / Content Researcher at BBC Media Action, Nigeria (2006-03 – 2008-11)

• Coordinated multilingual Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo production, supervised producers, trained communication staff and developed radio, television and film content on elections, democracy, governance and political participation.

PhD in Commonwealth Youth Development – University of Abuja, Nigeria (2028)

Certificate in AI and Digital Transformation in Government – University of Oxford and Saïd Business School, UK (2026)

PhD in Business Administration – Charisma University, Turks and Caicos Islands (2024)

MA in New Media, Governance and Democracy – University of Leicester, UK (2018)

Post-Graduate Professional Training Certificate in Market Systems Development (Making Markets Work for the Poor – M4P) – Springfield Centre for Business in Development, UK (2015)

MBA – Metropolitan School of Business Management, UK (2013)

BSc in Mass Communication – University of Lagos, Nigeria (2003)