Obioma Okonkwo: From Lagos Courtrooms to Global Boardrooms

By Folalumi Alaran

Obioma Adesewa Okonkwo is a distinguished Nigerian human rights lawyer and scholar making significant contributions on the global stage through her influential roles with multilateral organizations and international initiatives.

Leadership in Multilateral Organizations

Okonkwo currently serves as a Member of the Access to Information Appeals Board of the World Bank and a member of the Access to Information Panel at the International Financial Corporation (IFC). She plays a critical role in high-level adjudications on information disclosure disputes within these institutions and has been instrumental in interpreting the Bank’s Access to Information Policy, ensuring that bureaucratic opacity does not undermine the public’s right to know.

She is also an Advisory Board Member at the Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI), a global consortium focused on defending online civic space. She offers strategic guidance on policy and operational interventions to protect journalists, civil society actors, and human rights defenders across the global south.

Shaping Global Cybersecurity and Internet Governance

Okonkwo has emerged as one of the leading voices shaping Africa’s cybersecurity and digital governance policy at global forums. She played a key role in developing the African Cybersecurity Capacity-Building Priorities document adopted at the 2022 African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) consultation in Lilongwe, Malawi—a document that has since become a major reference point for setting out Africa’s strategic priorities in cybersecurity capacity building.

Strategic Litigation and Legal Advocacy

As former Head of Legal at Media Rights Agenda, Okonkwo led some of Nigeria’s most consequential freedom of expression and digital rights litigations. She coordinated the team of lawyers that successfully challenged the National Broadcasting Commission’s power to impose fines on broadcast stations and the suspension of Twitter (now X) in Nigeria. Her legal advocacy reflects a growing convergence between human rights, digital freedom, cybersecurity, and governance in Africa.

Under her leadership, MRA’s legal team provided pro bono representation to more than 100 journalists, activists, and civil society organizations facing human rights violations across Nigeria.

Environmental Governance and Sustainable Development

Okonkwo serves as Legal Adviser and Governing Council Member at the Environmental and Economic Resource Centre (EERC), where she provides legal guidance on environmental governance, climate change, and agricultural policy. Through this role, she has helped advocate for sustainable food security, biodiversity, and community resilience within and beyond Nigeria.

Research and Scholarly Contributions

Beyond her advocacy and institutional roles, Okonkwo has established herself as a prolific research scholar, producing a significant body of academic work that examines the critical intersections of technology, governance, and human rights. Her research portfolio spans publications in multiple international peer-reviewed journals from 2019 to 2025, addressing some of the most pressing challenges in digital rights and international human rights law.

This body of scholarship provides critical theoretical and policy frameworks that inform her practical advocacy work, demonstrating how legal scholarships and strategic litigation can work in tandem to advance digital rights and democratic governance across Africa and beyond.

Global Recognition and Engagement

Okonkwo’s extensive experience has earned her recognition and invitations to major international forums, including RightsCon, the Internet Governance Forum, the Global Conference on Cyber Capacity Building, and the AI Expo 2025 in Washington, D.C. She has moderated and spoken on global panels examining cybersecurity, press freedom, and digital repression.

She has been featured in global media such as Deutsche Welle Akademie, The Guardian, Vanguard, Premium Times, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). Her professional excellence has been recognized through prestigious fellowships, including the International Strategy Forum Fellowship (2025) by Special Competitive Studies Project, Media Viability Ambassador (2023) by Deutsche Welle Akademie, Open Internet Democracy Leader (2022) by the National Endowment for Democracy, and Strategic Litigation Fellow (2023) by the Hertie School and Open Society Foundations.

Vision and Legacy

Okonkwo’s advocacy is anchored in the principle that Africa cannot afford to be a bystander in shaping global policies.

Her growing influence within the World Bank and DDI highlights the increasing recognition of African experts in shaping global policy. From Lagos to Washington, Okonkwo’s voice is now part of the global chorus demanding accountability, open governance, and a rights-respecting digital environment. Her story, rooted in years of legal activism and strategic litigation, reflects how one lawyer’s commitment to justice in Nigeria has evolved into a mission resonating far beyond the country’s borders, elevating Nigeria’s reputation in the global transparency and digital rights movement.