President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Ms. Rinsola Abiola as the Senior Special Assistant on Citizenship and Leadership.
Ms. Abiola, a seasoned public relations professional, will collaborate closely with the Ministry of Youth, emphasizing civic education, political literacy, and increased inclusion of marginalized groups in decision-making processes.
A dedicated member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rinsola Abiola has played pivotal roles within the party, including being a founding member of its youth and women’s wings.
Her historic bid for the position of APC National Youth Leader in 2022 showcased her commitment to promoting the recognition of young women as equal stakeholders in political movements.
Currently at the helm of the Progressive Sisters’ Network (PSN), a grassroots-oriented women-focused group she founded in 2022, Ms. Abiola has actively contributed to the Renewed Hope campaign, earning accolades for the group’s significant impact since the party’s triumph in February 2023.
Before her appointment as Senior Special Assistant, Rinsola served as the Managing Partner of a public relations and corporate events firm, co-founded in 2020. Her expertise in media and government relations was honed during her tenure as Senior Manager in charge of Government Relations & Partnerships for Northern Nigeria at ORide, the e-mobility arm of OPay.
Beyond her corporate endeavors, Rinsola Abiola has dedicated herself to philanthropy through the Derinsola Abiola Foundation, empowering women and young people in her hometown, Abeokuta. Established in 2021, the foundation’s initiatives include an empowerment fund for women and a scholarship fund for indigent students in government-owned secondary schools.
In the realm of civic education, Ms. Abiola volunteers as a facilitator at The Electoral College Nigeria, a non-profit organization committed to fostering youth engagement in politics and governance.
Her academic background, consisting of a BSc in Statistics and a Diploma in Public Relations, is complemented by extensive international exposure. Notable study visits include the 2016 International Visitor Leadership Program sponsored by the US Department of State, visits to Sweden facilitated by the Swedish Embassy in Nigeria, and trips to the United Kingdom sponsored by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.
Rinsola Abiola’s commitment to gender equity and political advancement earned her recognition as a UN Women Beijing Eaglet/Intergenerational Mentee in 2019, where she joined 25 young Nigerian women advocating for the goals outlined in the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA).
She has also served on the advisory board of the World Youth Movement for Democracy (Africa Region) from 2019-2020, representing Nigeria in various youth engagements across the continent.
Before entering mainstream politics, Ms. Abiola actively participated in the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) as the South-West Coordinator of the Nigerian Youths Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue Summit Group, showcasing her early commitment to youth development.
