AFRICAN SHINING STAR OF THE MONTH: Olanike Timipa-Uge
This December, we proudly spotlight Olanike Timipa-Uge, an exceptional advocate whose decade-long work continues to shape the future of adolescent girls, transform harmful gender norms, and influence policy across Nigeria and beyond. Her voice, leadership, and relentless dedication to gender justice make her a true African Shining Star.
Olanike is a Sexual and Reproductive Health Consultant with ten years of impact-driven experience empowering young people to make informed decisions about their bodies, their health, and their futures. Her work sits at the intersection of gender, education, health, and social justice, ensuring that adolescent girls, especially the most marginalized, are seen, heard, protected, and given the opportunity to thrive.
Her advocacy has led to major policy reforms that continue to protect thousands of young people every day. She influenced the development of the Sexual Violence Reporting and Management Framework for Schools in the FCT, a system that now guides how schools respond to violence against students. In Nasarawa State, her efforts contributed to the Comprehensive School Re-entry Guideline for Out-of-School Adolescent Mothers, giving young mothers a second chance at education without stigma or discrimination. Her community-level advocacy also led to the abolishment of breast ironing in five communities in Nigeria—a harmful cultural practice that endangers girls’ health and dignity.
As the Founder and Executive Director of Teenage Network, Olanike leads a dedicated team working to expand access to quality education and health services for adolescent girls across Nigeria. Beyond national borders, she co-leads the Partners Coalition for Ending Gender Stereotypes in Schools, hosted by the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI), and she leads the Nigerian Feminist Network for Gender Transformative Education. Her influence also extends globally as a member of the UNESCO Working Group on Ending School-Related Gender-Based Violence.
Olanike’s leadership journey is rooted in service and global engagement. She has served as a UNESCO Youth Researcher on COVID-19, Global Youth Ambassador with Theirworld, Global Schools Advocate with SDSN-Youth, and an advisory member for the USAID SCALE Project. She is an alum of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, a Rise Up Leader, and a U.S. Department of State PDE Fellow—prestigious recognitions reserved for outstanding young leaders creating measurable impact in their communities.
Her written and advocacy work has been published on influential global platforms including The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health Journal, Al Jazeera, Florida Weekly, Women Deliver, Leftist German Newspaper, and the Frontline Health Workers Coalition. Academically, she holds a Master’s degree in Public Health, grounding her activism in evidence-based approaches and sound research.
Olanike Timipa-Uge represents the courage, brilliance, and resilience of African women leading change. Her work continues to shift narratives, reform systems, and open doors for the next generation of girls whose dreams are valid and whose voices matter.
This month, we celebrate her impact, her leadership, and her unwavering commitment to building a future where every girl is safe, educated, empowered, and free.
Congratulations to Olanike Timipa-Uge — our African Shining Star of December.
