Our People
OUR PEOPLE: Passionate, Experienced, Committed.
At GADA, our strength lies in our people. Our Trustees and Leadership Team bring together a rich blend of expertise in gender development, sexual and reproductive health, law, and international development. But beyond our credentials, we are united by a shared passion—a deep, unwavering commitment to empowering women to realize their full potential.
We believe that real change happens when knowledge meets action. That’s why our team is not just experienced but also deeply engaged in creating meaningful impact, ensuring that every woman has the opportunity to thrive, lead, and shape the future. Together, we’re not just advocates—we’re partners in progress.
Nkoyo Toyo – Lawyer, Activist, and Politician
Nkoyo Toyo is a lawyer, development activist, and politician with a career spanning public service, advocacy, and policy development. She holds degrees from Ahmadu Bello University, the University of Lagos, the University of Sussex, and Harvard Kennedy School.
Her career includes roles as a state prosecutor, bank executive, private legal practitioner, and consultant advocating for social and legal rights. She served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti, representing the country at the African Union, Peace and Security Council, and Economic Commission for Africa. As a House of Representatives member, she championed foreign affairs, gender reforms, and peacebuilding efforts, including brokering a ceasefire with Niger Delta militants.
In 1994, she founded Gender and Development Action (GADA), playing a key role in shaping Nigeria’s National Policy on Women (2000) and National Gender Policy (2008). She also contributed to the Cross River State Growth and Development Strategy (2018-2048), reinforcing her commitment to justice, gender equality, and governance reform.
Dr Eka williams
Dr. Eka Williams boasts over twenty-five years of extensive experience in research, program development, and management at various levels. She has significantly contributed to organizations like Ford Foundation, USAID, and Population Council, focusing on SRHR, HIV, LGBTI, sex work, youth development, and leadership. Dr. Williams excels in mentoring and providing technical support to NGOs and institutions, enhancing their capacity and governance. Her expertise spans strategy development, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, and applying programme lessons for policy formulation and service delivery improvement.
susan bassey duke
ada agina-Ude
Ada Agina-Ude is a retired journalist with over 20 years of experience in journalism at the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture. She is also a gender development expert with two decades of experience at Gender and Development Action (GADA).
Ada has consulted for a range of organizations, including the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, UNESCO, UNIFEM, Action Aid, CIDA, ODI, UNDP, UNICEF, TMG, WARDC, CDD, and DFID. Her core areas of focus include training on gender and development, research and publications, gender mainstreaming, gender budgeting, lobbying, advocacy, and social mobilization. Ada has significantly contributed to advancing women’s rights advocacy in Nigeria through project design, implementation, and related publications, including reports and research findings.