Spotlighting the people shaping Dev-Afrique’s work across Africa
When Mosimiloluwa Koye-Ladele joined a polio vaccination campaign in Kano earlier this year, she was struck by how real the images she had only ever seen in the media came to life — entire communities depending on a single water source, houses made of clay with leaking roofs, and mothers needing incentives just to bring their children for vaccination. For Simi, this was a defining moment: a reminder of why she returned to Nigeria after years in global finance, and why she chose to be part of Dev-Afrique. In this edition of Profiles in Practice, Simi reflects on what drew her into development advisory, and the values that keep her inspired in her role as a Senior Consultant at Dev-Afrique.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Mosimiloluwa Koye-Ladele, but most people call me Simi. I joined Dev-Afrique about seven months ago, and I currently work as a Senior Consultant. I studied Computer Science and Economics at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, before moving to the UK where I gained professional experience at Goldman Sachs in strategy, client-facing, and product management roles.
What first drew you to development advisory work?
It was the desire to make impact and to be part of something bigger than myself. At a certain point in my career, I realized two things: first, that I wanted to make direct impact in people’s lives, and second, that I was deeply passionate about Nigeria and Africa. That realization led me back home, where I could be at the center of solutions, working with governments and communities to create change.
I knew my expertise and skills were needed in moving the country forward, and I wanted to give them. It was also a matter of timing — Nigeria is now 65 years post independence, and I often ask myself: are we where we could be? This role gives me the chance to not only ask that question, but to be part of the answers.
Why Dev-Afrique, and how has the experience shaped you?
I joined Dev-Afrique because it gave me the unique combination I was looking for: the opportunity to make impact, to express my love for Nigeria and Africa, and to engage directly with government and communities.
Professionally, it has been deeply fulfilling. The projects I work on are real-world problems with visible outcomes, like ensuring no child is missed in vaccination campaigns. Personally, it has sharpened my sense of purpose. Work, for me, is a tool to become the best version of yourself, and Dev-Afrique has accelerated that growth by exposing me to diverse people, complex challenges, and meaningful solutions.
Can you tell us more about your role at Dev-Afrique?
As a Senior Consultant at Dev-Afrique, I serve as the Project Manager for our largest technical assistance engagement – a multi-year initiative supporting the Gates Foundation’s Geospatial Insights Support Team (GIST) to strengthen how geospatial data improves health service delivery across Africa. This involves orchestrating three complex workstreams – In-Country Strategy, Technical Delivery, and Impact Assessment – each with distinct stakeholders, timelines, and deliverables that must ultimately converge to drive measurable health outcomes.
The technical scope is substantial. We are supporting everything from emerging settlement analysis that ensures vaccination campaigns don’t miss hidden populations, to building data architecture frameworks that help national health agencies make sense of fragmented information systems. In Nigeria specifically, I lead our in-country strategy work, which means translating between what global health partners need and what government stakeholders can realistically implement. I am also part of the team developing the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI) portal – essentially creating the blueprint for how Nigeria will centralize and standardize its geospatial data across all sectors, not just health.
But perhaps the most critical hat I wear is leading the Business Development team at our organization. With the shifting donor landscape, securing sustainable revenue streams has never been more vital. This means identifying opportunities months before Requests for Proposals (RFPs) drop, building consortiums that can compete globally while delivering locally, and ensuring our technical capabilities evolve ahead of market demands. The BD function isn’t just about winning contracts; it is about positioning Dev-Afrique as the go-to partner when organizations need to solve complex data and systems challenges in African contexts.
What makes this role particularly rewarding is seeing how technical excellence and strategic growth reinforce each other. The insights from managing our flagship project directly inform which capabilities we need to build next. And every new partnership we develop expands what we can deliver for existing clients. That intersection – where project execution meets organizational strategy – is where I’ve found my niche.
What have you found interesting about your role?
One of the most fascinating aspects of this role has been gaining a deep understanding of the terrain and the nuances of working in Africa. Solutions that may work seamlessly in Western contexts cannot simply be copied and pasted here. Success on the continent requires contextual intelligence and the ability to adapt approaches to local realities.
What sets Dev-Afrique apart in its approach to development advisory?
Two things: urgency and integrity. Our philosophy, “Onward with urgency,” reflects the way we work — agile, progressive, and aware that timing is critical, and solutions that people need cannot be delayed.
Secondly, we operate with integrity. Even in the smallest business practices, there is no cutting corners. That alignment between my personal values and the organization’s values makes this work meaningful for me.
Describe the team spirit in one word.
Ubuntu. “I am because we are.” It captures how we brainstorm together, solve problems together, and measure impact together. Our strength comes from working as a collective.
What’s something your teammates might not know about you?
They might be surprised to know that I’m a dancer, and according to my mom, I’ve been dancing since I was in the womb! Beyond that, I’m also an executive coach, training professionals on workplace excellence.
Can you share a moment during your time at Dev-Afrique that reaffirmed your passion for this work?
Earlier in the year, I led a landscape assessment in Kano focused on spatial micro-planning under the Kimble Project. The assessment explored how health facilities currently use maps in micro-planning activities and identified opportunities for the Gates Foundation’s Geospatial Insight Support Team to close existing gaps. This kind of work matters because it connects evidence with practice and ensures that tools like geospatial data are not just available , but actively used to improve health outcomes. Seeing firsthand that what we offer is in high demand and realizing that lives quite literally depend on the work we do reaffirmed my passion and commitment to this space.
What makes you proud to be part of Dev-Afrique?
I am DA proud because we audaciously pioneer solutions to the toughest challenges on the continent. These challenges are real and complex, but Dev-Afrique is bold enough to take them on. That makes me proud every day.
Simi reminds us that Africa’s development is both a challenge and an opportunity. It calls for courage, innovation, and the belief that no community should be invisible. At Dev-Afrique, that belief drives the work we do every day.
Read previous volumes of our Profiles in Practice series here.
