Dolapo Oladayo Olaniyan, known as Dolly Ola, is a Nigerian author and development expert, passionate about gender equality and professional development. A British Council Future Leaders Connect alumna and IDS scholar, she combines leadership in healthcare transformation with creative advocacy. Through her writing, including her books Faith to Freedom series, she empowers women to heal, lead, and create lasting social impact.
Background
Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Dolapo developed an early interest in science, social change, and community leadership. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Lagos, where she began engaging with youth-led initiatives focused on gender equality and menstrual hygiene education. Her commitment to social development led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Development Economics and International Development at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, as an IDS Alumni Scholar.
During her time at IDS, Dolapo conducted research exploring the intersection between gender, health, and governance — focusing on how inclusive leadership can improve health outcomes for women in developing regions.
Her growing expertise and advocacy earned her a place in the British Council’s prestigious Future Leaders Connect programme (2018 cohort), joining a global network of young policy leaders driving change in over 13 countries. Through this platform, she represented Nigeria at the UK Houses of Parliament, contributing to discussions on gender policy, youth empowerment, and sustainable development.
Dolapo’s professional journey has since spanned both nonprofit and public sectors. She has worked with organizations such as Oxfam International, UNFPA, and the NHS, leading transformation projects that strengthen systems, improve public health delivery, and advance equality in workplace policy.
In parallel, she channels her creative voice through writing. Under her pen name Dolly Ola, she authored Faith to Freedom series — a deeply human narrative exploring resilience, healing, and womanhood. The book reflects her belief in the power of storytelling to drive empathy and social change.
Her advocacy extends to initiatives like The Women Refuge, a social platform dedicated to helping women heal, grow, and lead with confidence. She also collaborates with development organizations to tackle challenges such as female genital mutilation (FGM), period poverty, and gender-based violence — themes she has addressed in her published articles, including features in CIVICUS, Amazons Watch Magazine, and BellaNaija.
Today, Dolapo continues to blend leadership and purpose — shaping healthcare transformation in the UK while using her global voice to inspire social impact across Africa and beyond.
Education
Dolapo Oladayo Olaniyan (Dolly Ola) pursued higher education driven by a passion for sustainable development, global health, and social transformation. She earned a Master of Arts in Development Economics and International Development from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, United Kingdom. At IDS, she was recognized as an IDS Graduate Scholar, where her studies focused on policy innovation, gender empowerment, and inclusive growth strategies in developing economies.
Prior to her postgraduate studies, she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Her undergraduate education provided a strong foundation in scientific analysis and public health—skills she would later integrate into her work at the intersection of healthcare management and development policy.
In addition to her formal degrees, Dolapo holds professional certifications including Project Management Professional (PMP®), PRINCE2 Practitioner, and diplomas in Predictive and Agile Project Management. These credentials underscore her commitment to excellence in program design, execution, and governance across complex organizational environments.
Career
Dolapo Oladayo Olaniyan is an accomplished Senior Project Manager and Development Practitioner with extensive experience leading large-scale transformation initiatives in the healthcare and non-profit sectors. She is a Project Manager in the Programme Management Office at the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, where she managed multimillion-pound projects, including a £4.2 million transformation initiative that exceeded performance KPIs and achieved significant cost savings. Her work standardized project governance, enhanced clinical service delivery, and strengthened digital integration across care systems.
She previously served as Senior Project Manager with the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NHS) in the United Kingdom, where she leads regional digital transformation and operational efficiency programs. Her leadership has driven a 50% optimization of HR processes and improved cross-system collaboration by 45%.
Earlier in her career, Dolapo served as Transformation Programme Manager at North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust, where she designed and implemented organizational change strategies that reduced operational costs by over 20% and improved project delivery efficiency by 30%.
Before transitioning to the UK health sector, Dolapo worked with Oxfam International as a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Officer, supporting multi-country programs in Africa and Europe. Her role included designing evaluation frameworks, managing donor-funded projects, and training international teams on data-driven development approaches.
Throughout her career, Dolapo has been recognized as a British Council Future Leaders Connect Member, UNFPA SDG Youth Champion, and Global Citizen Youth Leadership Prize Finalist—testaments to her dedication to equitable development, innovation, and public service.
Politics
Dolapo Olaniyan (Dolly Ola) is guided by a philosophy that leadership and service are tools for social transformation. She believes in the power of collaboration, empathy, and strategic action to create sustainable impact in communities, healthcare systems, and organizations.
Her advocacy focuses on gender equality, women’s empowerment, and youth leadership, promoting inclusive solutions that address systemic inequalities. She views storytelling, mentorship, and public engagement as integral methods for driving change, exemplified through her initiatives like The Women Refuge and her books.
Dolapo frequently emphasizes the importance of evidence-based action and community-centered strategies, blending her experience in development, healthcare transformation, and international programs to foster empowerment and resilience.
Her life stance can be summarized as a commitment to transforming challenges into opportunities, enabling individuals and communities—especially women and youth—to lead with purpose, creativity, and confidence.
Personality
Dolapo is widely recognized as strategic, empathetic, and visionary. She balances analytical rigor with a human-centered approach, enabling her to manage complex projects while nurturing collaboration among diverse teams.
Peers and collaborators describe her as driven, approachable, and solutions-oriented, with a natural ability to inspire, mentor, and motivate others. She brings creativity to problem-solving, integrating her background in development and healthcare transformation with her passion for storytelling.
As an author and advocate, Dolapo channels her reflective and imaginative side into writing, crafting narratives that are authentic, empowering, and socially conscious. Her personality reflects a blend of leadership, compassion, and intellectual curiosity, driving both professional success and meaningful social impact.
