By Adesina Wahab

Nigerian lawyer and technology policy expert, Timi Paul Olagunju, has been named one of 20 global fellows for the 2025 Public Voices Fellowship on Technology in the Public Interest, a prestigious programme by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in partnership with The OpEd Project, United States.

Olagunju, who is Founder of the AI Literacy Foundation and Youths in Motion, as well as Partner at The Timeless Practice, joins a distinguished cohort of international experts working on the social impact of technology.

He is also a 2015 Mandela Washington Fellow and a 2025 Edward Mason Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School.

Bringing Nigerian and African perspectives to global debates

The fellowship seeks to amplify voices that can shape public debate and policy on technology and society. Fellows are selected through a highly competitive process to ensure their expertise informs national and global conversations.

For Olagunju, the fellowship provides a platform to project Nigerian and African experiences into discussions often dominated by Global North perspectives. “This fellowship is an opportunity to bring lived experiences from emerging economies into high-level debates on AI, digital rights, and democracy,” he said.

A global cohort with far-reaching influence

The 2025 cohort includes experts from Princeton University, UC Berkeley, University of Maryland, and other leading institutions.

Members specialise in areas ranging from digital civil rights and AI governance to environmental monitoring and health justice, tackling issues that shape both U.S. and international technology policy.

Given the global influence of U.S. technology companies and regulatory decisions, the work of these fellows has consequences for citizens in Lagos, Nairobi, São Paulo, and beyond, particularly in emerging economies where digital infrastructure and regulatory capacity remain limited.

AI literacy and youth advocacy at the forefront

Olagunju has spent years advancing AI literacy, digital rights, and inclusive governance in Nigeria and Africa. Through the AI Literacy Foundation, he has trained students, educators, and youth advocates to understand AI, exercise their rights online, and use technology responsibly. He has also contributed insights to U.S. policymakers on AI education and inclusion.

His participation in the fellowship positions him to connect African policy debates with global technology discussions, highlighting how AI and digital governance affect young people in emerging democracies.

Impact for Nigeria and Africa

Olagunju’s selection underscores Nigeria’s growing role in shaping global tech policy.

“The goal is simple,” he said. “To help build a world where technology serves the public interest, whether that public is in Boston, Ibadan, or anywhere in between.”

For Nigeria’s technology ecosystem and its millions of young people entering an AI-driven future, his recognition is a testament to the country’s expertise and leadership on the global stage.