Olajide Suraj Ogunlayi Email & Phone Number

Washington, Dc, Us

Africa/Uk/Us

The roles involve providing short-term technical assistance on broad thematic areas as follows:• Cross- cultural Capacity Building Consultant (2011-Date) to various organizations in US and UK.• Pricing Agent, UNDP, Liberia (2019).• Lead Qualitative Researcher/ Trainer, World Bank-assisted Nigeria Livestock Micro Reforms in Agribusiness (L-MIRA) Project (2017–18).• M&E Consultant, World Bank FADAMA Project Office, Abuja, Nigeria (2017).• Special Assistant (SA) to Secretary, Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA), 2014-2016.• Program Development Consultant, Oxfam GB Livelihoods Program (2015).• Institutional Capacity Building Consultant, Voices for Food Security (VFS), Nigeria (2013).• M&E Consultant, Oxfam 2013 Country Learning Review – CLR (2013).• Researcher (Sustainable Consumption), Food Ethics Council, UK (2010).• Community Development Consultant, UNDP, Nigeria (2007).

The role involved provision of technical support to the bank’s Global Practice Agriculture team in Liberia Country Office. The key achievements include contribution to the preparation of Concept Note for the bank’s smallholder agriculture development program for Liberia and preparation of the draft Project Appraisal Document (PAD); and research on the private sector investment in major agriculture value chains in Liberia.

Abuja, Nigeria

The role involved conduct of key business development services for the foundation, and participation in the design and management of various projects, including sharing of policy best practices in Agriculture and Rural development. The clients worked with include:• Nigeria FMARD (Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development);• Nigeria FMITI (Federal Ministry of Industries, Trade and Investment);• The World Bank Agriculture and Rural Development portfolio in Nigeria;• The World Bank-facilitated Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA); and• UNIDO

Toronto, Canada Area

The responsibilities of Deputy Project Manager for rePlan Inc. (now ERM- Environmental Resources Management) Group Inc. USA and Canada) on Nigeria OKLNG project also covered those of Livelihoods and Community Consultation Specialist. The roles focused on livelihoods restoration component of the scheduled RAP (Resettlement Action Plan) for the communities where Olokola LNG (OKLNG) project was planned in Nigeria. Hence, he served as the Livelihoods and Community Development Specialist, and led project team of 12 Staff in the: Preparation of the framework for the pre- and post-resettlement livelihoods restoration; Preparation of the Stakeholder Engagement Plan for pre-construction through to the operation phase; and Writing of the livelihoods chapter of the RAP for the OKLNG project. Also represented rePlan in regular meetings with other Olokola LNG (OKLNG) project teams in the absence of the In-Country Project Manager.

Oxford, United Kingdom

The role involved management of a series of Market Access & Fair-Trade projects in Middle Belt & Norther regions of Nigeria, which gave practical demonstration to the complementary roles for different stakeholders i.e., private sector, government, academia, & NGOs, in rural development. The main responsibilities include:• The “Market Access for Small Sorghum Farmers in Northern Nigeria project” in collaboration with Guinness, Nigeria focused on developing market access & guaranteeing increased income for poor small-scale sorghum farmers in Kano & Katsina states.• Managed the design and implementation of the Fair Trade for Cotton Advocacy Project for Nigeria, with focus on re-energizing the development of the sector which resulted in development of complementary regional strategy for the C4 Cotton Producing Countries in West Africa (Mali, Senegal, Republic of Benin & Burkina Faso).• Managed the “Market Access for Small-Scale Farmers (SSFs) in the Middle Belt Region, Nigeria project. The project was able to support the Nigerian small-scale agriculture by facilitating the federation of small-scale farmer (SSF) groups comprising of over 4,000 farmers. The outcome laid the foundation for ASSAPIN and SWOFON which are currently playing critical roles in the agricultural sector of Nigeria.The additional responsibilities performed during the period include:• Member, Commonwealth Education Fund (CEF), Nigeria Project Steering Committee (2003-06): The CEF project committee was focused solely on supporting advocacy in education sector.• Oxfam GB Projects Annual Impact Review of Market Access Program in Ghana (2005) - a redeployment from similar role for Oxfam GB in Nigeria as the Lead Evaluator/Team Leader of 2004/05 impact review & evaluation of Oxfam GB program titled ‘Market Access Coordinator’s Program Management & Administration, Ghana. The project covered micro & small-scale producers in Ghana & other parts of the West African Sub-region, particularly Burkina Faso.

Lagos, Nigeria

The key achievements, while rising through the ranks from Executive Trainee at Afribank (now Polaris Bank) to managerial positions in both banks, include:• a five-year board-level experience in credit risk management.• Leading & managing credit analysis and administration for MSMEs development finance, microfinancing & commodity trade financing.• Training & building of the capacity of banking officers & middle-level managers on all aspects of retail & commercial banking.• Conduct of representational roles & serving on various advisory & steering committees on rural development finance schemes initiated by both the Federal Government of Nigeria & the UNDP.• Resource Person on the multi-donor supported Micro and Rural Finance Conference strategizing on the way forward for rural and SME financing in Nigeria.The additional responsibilities performed during the period include:• Member, Afribank New ERA (Enterprise Rejuvenation and Alignment) project team set-up for the purpose of transforming Afribank’s businesses and operations with Accenture (Nigeria) as the consulting firm. The project was solely an initiative meant to improve the quality of the bank’s customer service deliveries so as to reposition the bank for optimal competitive advantage. • Coordinator, Rural Finance/ MSME Projects, Afribank Nigeria Plc i.e., overall coordination/ M&E of Afribank’s credit portfolio in government-initiated rural & SME development finance schemes (Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund of the CBN & all other special projects financing such as the NERFUND SME & the World Bank SME II schemes within the portfolio of Afribank). • Technical Resource Person, UNDP-Afribank-Benue State Microcredit Scheme: This was a multi-partner microcredit project involving UNDP, Afribank, some NGO microfinance institutions, & Benue State government. The scheme was for the main purpose of making financial services available to cooperative groups to implement agreed rural economic activities.

Lagos, Nigeria

This was a Representational role on behalf of Afribank Nigeria Plc, the appointed commercial bank on the UNDP Microstat project management. The board was responsible for mobilization of resources for the project meant to finance various MSMEs in different parts of Nigeria. The board was also responsible for the monitoring of overall program performance by providing M&E oversight functions on the microfinance institutions implementing the project activities.

Ilorin, Kwara, Nigeria

As the Project Monitoring Officer in Kwara State for the National DFRRI, “The Presidency”, FGN, the role was mainly the monitoring and reporting responsibilities, to the National Directorate of Food, Roads, and Rural Infrastructures (DFRRI), on the entire range of rural development activities in Kwara State, which included: food and agricultural programs, especially horticulture (citrus, cocoa, cashew, and coffee seedlings) and aquaculture (fish/ production of fish fingerlings, etc.); rural infrastructures i.e., rural feeder roads constructed/ rehabilitated; and communities provided with portable water, health education, and sanitation.

Mres, International Development/ Economics & Management Of Rural Development

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Agriculture

Master Of Science - Msc, Animal Nutrition And Agricultural Biochemistry

B.Agric, Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, And Related Sciences