Olufunto Akinduro is a Senior Adviser in the Africa and West Asia regional programme, based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

She is the thematic lead on Electoral Processes in the Africa and West Asia region. She supports the Institute’s regional and country programmes through designing and managing election support projects and contributing to knowledge production. She manages the Institute’s support to electoral management bodies and civil society organisations in Africa.   

Olufunto has worked in the field of elections and democracy for over 17 years with specific focus on election assessment, project design and management, advocacy, research and training. Her research and professional interests include electoral observation, election management and campaign finance. 

Prior to joining International IDEA, she worked in different capacities at the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) from 2011 to February 2020, including her role as Head of Elections and Political Processes. She managed EISA’s continental electoral support programmes and the Institute's strategic partnerships with the African Union and African Regional Economic Bodies. Olufunto also worked in Nigeria, where she managed the secretariat of the Electoral Reform Network (a civil society advocacy coalition) for five years during one of Nigeria’s most challenging elections in 2007. 

International IDEA Publications:

• ‘Case Study on The Role of EMBs in Electoral Reforms: Nigeria’  in ACE Electoral Knowledge Network Encyclopaedia (2014).
• ‘Case Study on Election Management Bodies - Nigeria, Independent National Electoral Commission’  in International IDEA’ Handbook: Electoral Management Design and ACE Electoral Knowledge Network Encyclopaedia (2014).