Kole Shettima is the Director of the Foundation's Nigeria Office in Abuja and Co-Director of the On Nigeria Big Bet. Earlier at the Foundation, he was responsible for grantmaking in Population & Reproductive Health, Girls Secondary Education, Human Rights and International Justice, and the Partnership for Higher Education in Africa.
Prior to joining the Foundation in 1999, Shettima taught at the University of Maiduguri, the University of Toronto, and at Ohio University. He volunteered for several organizations including the Inter-Church Coalition on Africa, Women In Nigeria, and Machina Emirate Development Association. He has published in several academic journals including Africa Development, Review of African Political Economy, African Studies Review, and Journal of Asian and African Studies.
Shettima has a PhD from the University of Toronto, a Master's degree from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria and his undergraduate degree is from the University of Maiduguri.
He sits on the board of several organizations including the JAIZ Charity and Development Foundation and Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, among others.
