Expert Bio

Ms. Oge Onubogu is a governance and democracy professional with nearly two decades of experience on Africa and US-Africa relations, including working with African governments, international partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector. 

Ms. Onubogu was previously the Director of the West Africa Program at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), where she led the strategic development and expansion of USIP’s portfolio in Nigeria and Coastal West Africa. In that position, she oversaw the design and implementation of projects to mitigate violent conflict, promote inclusion and strengthen community-oriented security by partnering with African and US policymakers, civic leaders and organizations. 

Prior to USIP, Ms. Onubogu was a Program Manager at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) where she managed citizen engagement, elections, and political party strengthening programs in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Botswana, and South Africa. At NDI, she also oversaw a multi-country program to strengthen women’s political participation in Southern Africa, and supported election and legislative strengthening activities in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. 

Ms. Onubogu also worked at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), where she managed a multi-million dollar grants portfolio to civil society organizations across Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Cameroon. 

She has consulted on a range of governance, elections, and research programs in Africa with the World Bank, Freedom House, and the Carter Center, and has coordinated refugee resettlement programs in the United States with the International Rescue Committee. 

Ms. Onubogu holds a master’s degree in International Development from Brandeis University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma.