Marine Biologist and conservation practitioner
Dr. Omolara Fola-Matthews is a Marine Biologist and conservation practitioner at the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), where she serves as a Chief Research Officer.
Her work focuses on advancing the sustainable management of marine ecosystems and fisheries resources in Nigeria and the wider Gulf of Guinea. She earned her PhD from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, where her research focused on the biology-ecology and conservation of sharks and rays, contributing to improved understanding and management of data-deficient elasmobranch populations.
Her current interests extend to deep-sea exploration, climate change, ocean policy and community-based conservation with a strong commitment to translating science into evidence-based policies and lasting conservation impacts.
She is the Africa Coordinator for Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), a Rising Tide Mentorship Program Fellow and the co-founder of BlueTides Connect, an initiative where she promotes marine conservation, ocean literacy and capacity building across Africa.
