By Desmond Utomwen
At 66, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, OFR, stands tall as one of Nigeria’s most impactful leaders; an enduring voice for women, children, and communities across the nation. Her career, spanning more than three decades, has been defined not only by the offices she has held but also by the lives transformed through her interventions. From the Lagos State House of Assembly to the Deputy Governorship of Lagos, and now as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs), her journey is one of purposeful service.
Driving Nigeria’s SDGs Agenda
Since her appointment as the President’s chief adviser on the Sustainable Development Goals, Orelope-Adefulire has become the face of Nigeria’s SDGs journey. Under her watch, Nigeria realigned its National Statistical System with SDG indicators, became the first African country to embed the Integrated SDG Simulation Model into national planning, and presented three Voluntary National Reviews at the United Nations in 2017, 2020 and 2025. She has also overseen the design of an Integrated National Financing Framework and pioneered independent evaluations of SDG 3 (health) and SDG 4 (education), embedding accountability into the nation’s development process.
Transforming Health Care
One of her most remarkable contributions has been in the health sector. Determined to contribute meaningfully to the reduction of maternal and child mortality, she championed the construction and equipping of more than 40 units of 100-bed Renewed Hope Mother and Child Specialist Hospitals and 30 units of 80-bed facilities. Several of these hospitals, already commissioned in states such as Lagos, Rivers, Anambra, Osun, Oyo, Kwara, Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, Yobe, Benue, Abia, Ogun, and Ondo, have begun serving communities, while many others are nearing commissioning.
Her vision extended to primary healthcare, where she delivered 34 modern 40-bed centres, 144 smaller 20-bed facilities, and 10 advanced 30-bed units. Beyond primary healthcare, she has also strengthened tertiary health services with projects like the 200-bed hospital at LASUTH, the Paediatric Centre at FMC Ebute Meta, and the Sickle Cell Care Centre at LASUTH. These investments have expanded access to quality care and brought hope to families across the country.
Building Education and Skills for the Future
In education, Orelope-Adefulire’s impact has been just as profound. She has overseen the construction of 11,843 classroom blocks nationwide, with an additional 383 rehabilitated, all fully furnished with desks and learning materials. To complement these physical structures, her office supplied over 3.4 million exercise books and nearly 6,000 computers, helping to ease resource gaps in Nigerian schools.
Her commitment to skills development is equally strong, with the establishment of 70 Skill Acquisition Centres equipping thousands of youths and women with vocational and life skills for self-reliance. She has also invested in inclusive facilities such as a School for the Blind fitted with Braille machines, the Nana Berry Orphanage Home, and a Girls’ Hostel at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi. These interventions ensure that even the most disadvantaged can find a place in the country’s development story.
Protecting Women and the Vulnerable
A lifelong advocate of gender equality, Orelope-Adefulire has placed protection and empowerment at the heart of her work. She spearheaded the construction of 257-bed capacity transit homes for women and girls in three states, creating safe spaces for survivors of violence. She also launched empowerment programmes that train and support 500 women in every state of the federation and the FCT, giving them tools and resources for economic independence. In addition, her office has continued to support orphanages and hostels, providing shelter and dignity for disadvantaged groups.
Strengthening Communities with Infrastructure
Her interventions go beyond social sectors to touch infrastructure and community resilience. Through the installation of 71,450 solar street lights across the country, she has improved safety while promoting renewable energy and climate action. She has also provided 300 housing units for internally displaced persons, 540 market shops to boost small businesses, and 30 sports and youth centres to nurture talent and provide recreational outlets. Together, these projects are reshaping communities and laying the foundation for sustainable development.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Fully aware that the future of work lies in technology, Orelope-Adefulire has also invested in ICT and innovation. Her office has constructed 13 ICT and computer centres and distributed thousands of computers and e-learning resources to schools, equipping young Nigerians with the digital skills needed to thrive in the 21st century.
A Legacy That Endures
Taken together, these interventions reflect more than just figures on paper, they represent lives uplifted, futures secured, and communities transformed. From a mother receiving care in a new specialist hospital to a child learning in a furnished classroom, to a young woman finding refuge in a safe home, the human stories behind these projects are her true legacy.
Perhaps what stands out most is not the scale of her projects but the depth of her impact. For every classroom furnished, there is a child learning in dignity. For every hospital commissioned, a mother and child are spared the tragedy of preventable death. For every skills centre opened, there is a young Nigerian who now believes in the promise of self-reliance.
As Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire turns 66, her name is rightly celebrated not only as a princess by birth but as a servant-leader by choice. Colleagues, beneficiaries, and admirers reflect on a career marked by resilience, empathy, and unwavering commitment to service. The celebrations are less about age and more about legacy—a legacy still in motion.
Her passion for people, her relentless drive for impact, and her unwavering belief in inclusive development have placed her among Nigeria’s most distinguished leaders. And though she has already accomplished so much, her legacy is still unfolding; an unfinished story of hope, equity, and transformation.
In a nation often challenged by governance gaps and development hurdles, her story stands as proof that leadership, anchored in compassion and accountability, can indeed change lives. At 66, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire is not only a princess by birth but a beacon of hope by choice.
Desmond Utomwen is the Special Assistant on Media, Publicity & Strategic Communications (OSSAP-SDGs)
