Sharing perspectives on community-led interventions in the addiction field, focusing on Nigeria and potentially broader African

Dr. Olubusayo Akinola serves as the Head of the Social Welfare, Drug Control, and Crime Prevention Division at the African Union. She brings significant expertise in designing and implementing multicomponent community-based interventions, as well as recovery and social integration strategies for individuals with substance use disorders. Dr. Akinola works closely with civil society organizations to advance grassroots initiatives and advocates for the development of age-appropriate, gender-sensitive policies to address substance use challenges affecting women, children, and adolescents across Africa. Her contributions include involvement in various international and national projects focused on drug policy evaluation, and she plays a key role in facilitating inter-agency collaboration and real-time information exchange within the Pan African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use. Dr. Akinola holds a PhD in public health with a specialization in epidemiology from Walden University, a Master’s degree in public health from the University of East London and a Bachelor of pharmacy degree. She is also a Fulbright Alumna from Virginia Commonwealth University, USA, and a recipient of the Walden University Presidential Award for Research Dissemination.