Molade Adeniyi is Advancing Youth Skills and Opportunities in West Africa

As the current Chief Executive Officer of Teach For Nigeria, she leads a national movement to end educational inequity and transform the future for thousands of underserved children.

But her path to this position has been anything but linear — and that’s exactly what makes her story so powerful.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Molade started her professional journey not in classrooms or development spaces, but in hospital corridors.

She spent over 14 years working as an oncology pharmacist within the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), where she built a solid foundation in healthcare, systems thinking, and people-centered care.

In 2017, Molade took charge at West Africa Vocational Education (WAVE), a non-profit organization focused on equipping young West Africans with the skills they need to thrive in the workplace.

Under Molade’s leadership, the organization scaled significantly, expanding to thirteen states across the country.

More than 6,000 young people were trained during her tenure, and WAVE maintained an impressive 75% employment rate among its graduates — a remarkable feat considering Nigeria’s persistent youth unemployment challenges.

But Molade didn’t stop at scale. She pushed for innovation. She championed the integration of artificial intelligence and digital tools to make vocational training more accessible.

Notably, she introduced AI-enabled WhatsApp training, allowing job seekers in low-connectivity areas to access soft-skills coaching and employability training directly from their phones.

She also oversaw the launch of WAVE’s first Learning Management System designed specifically for employers, enabling companies to engage in youth training and onboarding more effectively.

These practical solutions helped WAVE become one of Nigeria’s leading models for demand-driven workforce development.

In 2023, Molade stepped into her current role as CEO of Teach For Nigeria. This marked a pivotal shift — from skills training to education system reform.

Teach For Nigeria is part of the global Teach For All network and operates with a core belief: that every child, regardless of background, deserves access to excellent education.

In this role, Molade is responsible for recruiting and developing a new generation of teachers and education leaders who work in some of Nigeria’s most underserved schools.

Her leadership has focused on deepening community impact, ensuring program sustainability, and strengthening public-private partnerships to drive national education outcomes.

Molade holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Management and Marketing from King’s College London, and she’s a certified pharmacist.

She also completed the Senior Management Programme at Lagos Business School — a reflection of her commitment to lifelong learning and leadership excellence.

Beyond her executive roles, Molade is widely recognized as a thought leader in youth empowerment, leadership development, and social innovation in Africa.

She is a 2021 West Africa Acumen Fellow and a 2021 Perennial Leadership Fellow.

In 2025, she was selected as a mentee in the prestigious Tällberg Leaders Mentoring Leaders program — a global initiative recognizing bold, values-driven leadership.

Molade also gives back by mentoring young women through Women in Management, Business, and Public Sector (WIMBIZ).