Meet Tsema - Tsema Yvonne Ede

My Story

About

Tsema Yvonne Ede

Who I Am

If you asked me what gets me going, I’d beam and tell you that my greatest fuel in life is contributing to positive change in the world around me.

I started off as a litigation lawyer, defending justice-impacted individuals from low-income families—people who had suffered injustice but couldn’t afford legal fees. But early in my career, I realised I needed to do more. That realization has stayed with me ever since. While my work in litigation was important, I saw it as quenching fires. And I knew that to create lasting impact, I needed to focus on preventing the fires altogether.

That was my lightbulb moment—and it led me to step away from litigation and toward policy formulation and development consultancy.

My full name is Oritsema Urowoli Eyewunmi Yvonne Ede.
Urowoli, aka Roli, resonates the most with me because, translated into English, it means that the Morning has come. A name given to the first daughters from the Itsekiri tribe (a small tribe in the Niger-Delta area of Nigeria).

My advocacy journey began in a courtroom, litigating pro bono cases to ensure low-income persons, especially women and girls, had a clear path to access justice. My values stem from the generations of advocates in my family who went before me. From my grandfather, who was protective of vulnerable people. Then my father, who began his career as an investigative journalist in Nigeria, took up daring stories. My mother, another journalist who would travel long distances to find stories to share with the world. My parents and grandparents grounded me with the belief that every citizen deserves protection, that their voices must be heard, and that whatever it takes, no human on earth should be made to feel less than others, rather. They must be treated with dignity; this is the driving force behind my work today.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve poured my expertise and heart into developing policies and programmes with long-term impact—especially for indigent communities. From policies that protect mining host communities to those aimed at preventing sexual and gender-based violence, my work has always been driven by one thing: building meaningful solutions where they’re needed most.

At the heart of what I do is a commitment to finding inroads in the most unlikely places, and to building relationships that transcend sectors. From media and entertainment to government and development partners, I believe in the Ubuntu spirit of development. Everyone should not only have a seat at the table but be fully involved in the work—hands-on and ready to get dirty if that’s what it takes.

What makes this journey even more meaningful for me is how it shows up in my everyday life. Whether it’s how I hold space for those around me or the compassion I bring to the intergenerational friendships I build, the values I work by are reflected in my relationships—and in the feminist leadership I practice daily.

Research, writing, and facilitating training programmes have been key tools for me in advancing sustainable development policies. As a grantmaker, I’m also privileged to support partner organisations in thinking more deeply about the long-term impact of their projects.

I’m a strong believer in the Nigeria and Africa project. And I know that my job is to make it happen—within my community, my work, and my influence.

I’ve consulted for several national and international organisations over the years. Let’s talk. I’d love to help you think through policy design and implementation that’s grounded in empathy, strategy, and change.

Warmly,
Tsema

With a realisation that litigation was not enough to fix injustices, I decided to transition from direct litigation to systemic reform, guided by the conviction that we can actively usher in a new dawn for governance. As a policy expert, lawyer, and strategic leader, I partner with civil society, donors, and government stakeholders to design, fund, and implement people-centred policies that protect citizens’ rights, defend civic space, and promote the protection of human rights. I believe true progress means creating a truly inclusive dawn of justice. My focus is on strengthening feminist leadership platforms, advocating for the protection of natural resource-rich host communities, empowering grassroots activists, and ensuring that voices often excluded, especially women, youth, and persons with disabilities, are centred in policy.

Whether I am leading a national defence fund, launching an academy for emerging changemakers, or developing policy material from research, my mission remains constant: to translate hope into actionable reality, ensuring that the promise of a new day is realised for all.

— Tsema Yvonne Ede, LL.M., Strategic Leader in Governance & Human Rights.

Who I Am

Tsema is a lawyer with expertise in communications for development, policy, gender, grantmaking and funds management. With two decades of multisectoral experience in developing and implementing integrated programmes for government and civil society, her expertise spans public policy development and implementation, public safety and human security management, women’s peace and security, design and implementation of human rights protection mechanisms, facilitating processes for enhancing civil society resilience, and natural resource governance.

She is the leader of Nigeria’s pioneering and only fund dedicated to human rights defence, where she manages an annual portfolio that supports several frontline grantee organisations and individuals directly and indirectly. She is a policy expert who has worked with the government, business corporations and non-governmental organisations on implementing people-centred policies to protect citizens. Before going into development, she founded a law firm where she worked as a litigation lawyer doing pro bono work where she rendered critical support to bridge the access to justice gap for low-income individuals in underserved communities.

Tsema’s career has been marked by significant achievements, including launching the Heinrich Boell Foundation’s Green Academy- a competence-building hub for equipping youth leaders and activists in Nigeria with the skills and expertise for engaging in poverty reduction and social justice. She has also provided support to civil society organisations and the private sector on the harmful effects of solid mineral extraction on host communities.

Tsema has also contributed to leading research on energy gaps in Nigeria’s primary health centres. Throughout her career, Tsema has consulted for and led teams with several leading bilateral organizations and international NGOs, including OSIWA, Heinrich Boell Stiftung, Global Rights, the MacArthur Foundation, Luminate Group, and the Ford Foundation. She has advised on donor funding priorities, managed programs, supervised partner NGOs, and engaged with diverse stakeholders to drive impactful, life-changing projects. Tsema is committed to promoting human rights, enhancing civic participation, and fostering sustainable development in Nigeria.

Tsema is also passionate about sharing knowledge and building capacity. You will find her facilitating training sessions and workshops on diverse topics that promote development in Nigeria and Africa. Tsema works actively to promote feminist leadership platforms and the advancement of inclusive governance Her expertise spans grantmaking, fundraising and management, partnership engagement, stakeholder management, social impact, ESG, legal writing, advocacy, policy formulation, research, community organising, resource governance, conflict resolution, and gender mainstreaming.

With a strong commitment to fostering human dignity and sustainable development, Tsema has a proven track record of formulating policies, conducting research, and providing strategic advice on advocacy for donor engagement in the protection of marginalized and minoritised communities. With a strong academic background and a commitment to learning, Tsema is a StartingBloc Fellow, an Afrisig Fellow, and an Acumen West African Fellow. Tsema is an alumnus of the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. She earned an LLM in Law with a focus on International Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and an LLB in Public and International Law.

My Mission

My mission is to champion human rights, inclusive governance, and social justice through legal expertise, policy reform, and advocacy. I am committed to:

Protecting Civic Space: Ensuring that activists, journalists, and human rights defenders operate in a safe and enabling environment.
Advancing Gender Equality: Creating policies and initiatives that promote women’s rights, feminist leadership, and inclusive governance.
Strengthening Democracy & Good Governance: Engaging governments and institutions to foster accountability, transparency, and citizen participation.

Driving Legal & Policy Reforms: Influencing policies that address social injustice, digital rights, energy access, and natural resource governance.
Empowering Communities: Training and mentoring grassroots organizations, youth leaders, and vulnerable groups to advocate for their rights.

Through strategic partnerships, research, and advocacy, I aim to build stronger institutions and ensure that every individual, regardless of background, has access to justice and fundamental rights.

Who I Am

I am a passionate lawyer, human rights advocate, and policy expert committed to creating a just and equitable society. My work focuses on governance, gender equality, civic space protection, and human rights defense. With a background in legal practice and development consulting, I have spent over a decade working at the intersection of law, policy, and advocacy, ensuring that marginalized communities have a voice and access to justice.

I have worked with governments, civil society organizations, media, and grassroots movements to design policies that drive systemic change. From leading Nigeria’s only human rights defense fund to empowering activists, women, and vulnerable groups, my work is deeply rooted in fostering sustainable impact. My expertise spans legal writing, strategic advocacy, policy reform, and community organizing.

I believe in the power of knowledge and capacity-building. Whether through mentorship, training sessions, or large-scale advocacy campaigns, I am dedicated to equipping individuals and organizations with the tools to fight for justice, equity, and transparency.

My Mission

My mission is to champion human rights, inclusive governance, and social justice through legal expertise, policy reform, and advocacy. I am committed to:

Protecting Civic Space: Ensuring that activists, journalists, and human rights defenders operate in a safe and enabling environment.

Advancing Gender Equality: Creating policies and initiatives that promote women’s rights, feminist leadership, and inclusive governance.
Strengthening Democracy & Good Governance: Engaging governments and institutions to foster accountability, transparency, and citizen participation.
Driving Legal & Policy Reforms: Influencing policies that address social injustice, digital rights, energy access, and natural resource governance.
Empowering Communities: Training and mentoring grassroots organizations, youth leaders, and vulnerable groups to advocate for their rights.

Through strategic partnerships, research, and advocacy, I aim to build stronger institutions and ensure that every individual, regardless of background, has access to justice and fundamental rights.

As Featured in

Tsema Yvonne Ede Awards & Recognition

Launched the Heinrich Boell Foundation’s Green Academy, empowering young activists.
Led the development of toolkits for gender-based violence response and disability-inclusive services.
Manages a portfolio to protect human rights defence in Nigeria
Led advocacy campaigns with Nigeria’s film industry to shift narratives on sexual violence.
Conducted policy research on renewable energy for Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.

Speaking Engagements & Training

Tsema is an experienced speaker and trainer, having facilitated workshops on human rights, feminist leadership, and civic engagement. She has worked with organizations and governments to build capacity in policy development and social justice...

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