Funmi Iyanda
Funmi Iyanda is one of Nigeria’s most respected voices in the media scene whose intelligence has led her to become a highly regarded commentator and consultant in film, television, and media. She is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, TV personality, Film/TV Producer, Writer and Philanthropist, who has been celebrated as one of Africa’s most powerful women in media. Funmi’s rise in the media industry began with ”Good Morning Nigeria”, a breakfast magazine television show.
Funmi Iyanda is Executive Director of Oya Media, a London based media production studio and brand advisory created to develop, produce and facilitate transformative films and TV shows from Africa to a universal audience. She is the founder and member of the board of Change-A-Life Foundation Nigeria, a social intervention project that has impacted the lives of many families and children through its scholarship, healthcare, counselling and micro-finance schemes. The foundation has since grown into an independent charity with a respected Board of Trustees and staff.
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An alumna of the prestigious University of Ibadan, Funmi obtained a certificate in Global Leadership and Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2012.
An amazing TV personality, Funmi is best known for independently producing and hosting one of Nigeria’s most popular talk shows, “New Dawn with Funmi Iyanda”, which aired nationally for eight years with unprecedented and unsurpassed ratings. Celebrated for her brilliants interview style, Funmi quickly rose to become one of Nigeria’s most esteemed TV personalities. Funmi’s smart ability to interpret socio-cultural trends to promote sustainable human progress has earned her recognition as one of the most brilliant voices in the Nigerian media scene.
Funmi has produced and hosted series of internationally nominated productions including “My Country Nigeria”, a three-part series commissioned by BBC and nominated for Best News Documentary at the 2011 Monte Carlo TV Festival. Funmi is also the producer and host of BANFF nominated chopcassava.com, an innovative web series documenting the 2021 fuel subsidy protests.
A leader in her industry Funmi has received wide recognition for her outstanding work in the media. She was honoured as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and named one of Forbes 20 Power Women in Africa. She was also featured in BBC 100 Women Series and named a United Nations Women Gender Equality Champion under the Beijing+20 platform. As well as her recognitions, her TV productions have won and been nominated for several international awards.
Funmi is an Honourary Fellow of the University of Cumbria Uk, a Fellow of the inaugural class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa, a member of the Desmond Tutu Africa Leadership Institute Board, member of the Aspen Institute’s Global Leaders Network and serves on the Board of Farafina Trust.