AI policy advocate, Olagunju, selected for global public voices fellowship

By : Bertram Nwannekanma

Date: 1 December 2025 8:04pm WAT

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Nigerian lawyer and technology policy advocate, Timi Paul Olagunju

Nigerian lawyer and technology policy advocate, Timi Paul Olagunju

Nigerian lawyer and technology policy advocate, Timi Paul Olagunju, has been selected as one of 20 global fellows for the 2025 Public Voices Fellowship on Technology in the Public Interest.

The fellowship is an initiative of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in partnership with The OpEd Project in the United States.

The year-long programme brings together researchers, technologists, and governance experts who focus on the social impact of technology.

It’s goal is to provide them with the skills and platforms necessary to contribute to public debates through opinion writing, media engagement and policy advocacy.

The 2025 cohort includes academics and practitioners from leading institutions in the United States and other regions, working on issues such as artificial intelligence (AI), democracy, digital civil rights and data protection.

Olagunju brings a Nigerian and broader Global South perspective to ongoing conversations about the benefits and risks of emerging technologies.

His work focuses on the intersection of technology, governance and youth development, with a particular emphasis on AI, blockchain, democracy and digital rights.

A key focus of Olagunju’s advocacy is promoting AI literacy among young people.

He has pursued this through community programmes, workshops and policy engagements aimed at helping young Nigerians understand how AI systems work and how digital tools shape civic participation.

Speaking about the fellowship, Olagunju emphasised that communities most affected by global technology decisions often lack representation in this discussions.

He sees this fellowship as an opportunity to bring these lived experiences into global conversations on AI, democracy and social justice.

The fellowship will include four intensive virtual convenings over the next year and access to a network of past and current Public Voices fellows.

Many of these fellows have advised governments, briefed legislators, published influential research, and contributed to shaping technology governance.

Fellows are selected through a competitive review process to ensure that their insights can meaningfully influence public debates on technology in the United States and globally.

This programme aligns with The OpEd Project’s mission to diversify public discourse by empowering experts whose perspectives are often under-represented in mainstream media and policymaking spaces.

Olagunju has published essays and policy commentary on digital rights, democracy and technology in international outlets, including Fast Company, Harvard Kennedy School Policy Review, The Guardian, Punch and The Irish Times.

His selection adds to the growing presence of Nigerian voices in global discussions on responsible technology governance, particularly as debates on AI regulation and digital rights gain momentum worldwide.

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