Fatima Akilu

Dr. Fatima Akilu is a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the African Leadership Centre, King’s College London, since 2020. She serves as Executive Director of the Neem Foundation in Nigeria and is a university educator advocating for marginalized groups. Her expertise spans psychology, mental health, and countering violent extremism (CVE).

• Affiliations: African Leadership Centre (Visiting Fellow), Neem Foundation (Executive Director)
• Education: PhD in Psychology, Master’s in Research Methods in Psychology, Bachelor’s in English (Reading University)

Her research focuses on strategic communication, de-radicalization, community resilience, and mental health policy. She designed Nigeria’s CVE program integrating education reforms and PTSD counseling. Fatima also writes children’s books and hosted the radio show Radio Psych, addressing social-psychological issues.

Her 2023 study highlights mental health support’s role in peacebuilding, linking counseling to reduced PTSD/depression in Nigeria. While no grants or labs are explicitly mentioned, her work emphasizes policy and community engagement.