Lola Aladesanmi: Empowering Change through Leadership & Local Development

Zambia boasts remarkable women leaders who have shaped the nation through their contributions to politics, business, and social development. Women in Zambia have consistently demonstrated leadership that drives change. One such impactful leader on the global stage is Lola Aladesanmi, the CEO of BROADIMPACT. Her journey into public health began at the tender age of 10 when she first encountered information, education, and communication (IEC) materials for social behavior change in her father’s office. Intrigued by how communication could influence health outcomes, this early exposure sowed the seeds of her lifelong passion for public health.

Lola’s academic journey reflects her commitment to this cause. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy, followed by Masters and PhD degrees in Public Health. During her studies, she developed a comprehensive understanding of health as a multidimensional concept, encompassing not just physiological well-being but also mental and social health. She became deeply motivated to drive systemic change, recognizing the need to address health challenges on a macro level.

With over two decades of experience, Lola has expanded her expertise beyond public health into sectors such as education, gender, child protection, and social protection. Her career is marked by a focus on large-scale development programs aimed at improving service delivery quality, equity, and sustainability. Her efforts have included strategic planning, capacity building for service providers, organizational development, and monitoring and evaluation at local, regional, and global levels.

As a leader, Lola exemplifies a commitment to holistic development, ensuring that individuals and communities alike can thrive. Her work continues to inspire many in the fields of public health and international development. Let’s dive into this one-on-one interaction to know more.

I believe our biggest win has been building a strong and dedicated core leadership team at BROADIMPACT

Introduce us to BROADIMPACT. What are the primary roles and responsibilities you shoulder as the company’s CEO?

BROADIMPACT (BI) is an international development and business consulting firm dedicated to strengthening public sector institutions, community-based organizations, and grassroots initiatives across Africa. For nearly a decade, BI has provided systems-strengthening services, including monitoring, evaluation, and learning, quality improvement processes, organizational development, and innovative sustainability approaches, all in collaboration with development partners.

As CEO, I provide strategic leadership, overseeing program design and implementation, financial management, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and human resource management. I lead a team comprising a core group of permanent staff and a network of expert associates operating across 24 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Additionally, I serve as the Country Director for BI Zambia (Brasys Initiatives, a BI affiliate), where I focus on ensuring the effective delivery of our mission in the region. My role involves aligning BI’s goals with impactful development outcomes while fostering partnerships that drive sustainable change.

Throw light on your current focus areas in terms of driving growth for BROADIMPACT while ensuring positive outcomes in the social impact space?

Today, my focus at BROADIMPACT is on scaling our programming towards our vision. We are transitioning from primarily assessing and evaluating programs to actively supporting the organizational development of public sector and civil society organizations across Africa. Through BI’s affiliate, Brasys Initiatives in Zambia, we’ve expanded operations nationwide, launching our Zambia office during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our work now spans research, evaluation, and organizational development, helping institutions improve strategy, legal, financial, and human resources systems for long-term sustainability. Though much of our impact occurs behind the scenes, we are driving the transformation we envision, which is equitable, high-quality, and self-sustaining health and social protection systems across Africa.

In your opinion what have been the biggest ‘wins’ that you have achieved so far in your professional journey? What is your ‘success mantra’ as a leader?

I believe our biggest win has been building a strong and dedicated core leadership team at BROADIMPACT. For me, the organization is its people, not the branches or portfolio of work. I am incredibly proud of our program coordinators and leaders who manage our diverse portfolio across the continent. This exceptional team drives success in areas such as program design, technical advisory, implementation coordination, human resources, and financial management. Together, we’ve successfully managed over 30 projects in the past four years, including 10 multi-country initiatives spanning 2-14 countries each, and approximately 20 projects in Zambia alone. My success mantra as a leader is simple, ‘invest in people, empower them to excel, and foster a shared commitment to impactful change’.

How do you foresee the social impact landscape evolving in Zambia in 2025? Are there any spe­cific industry trends that you are betting big on?

I see significant potential for growth in Zambia’s development landscape in 2025, particularly through empowering local organizations and grassroots actors to lead initiatives. The reliance on external organizations has often limited the sustainability of development efforts, but there’s a growing shift toward localization. Many donors are now redirecting resources to local entities or supporting cost-sharing projects, which strengthens community ownership.

Key government institutions and leaders in Zambia have shown increasing responsiveness to these initiatives, fostering an environment that supports this transition. At BROADIMPACT, we are aligning ourselves with this trend by positioning as facilitators who can support and guide local organizations through this process. This shift represents a promising step toward sustainable and impactful development in Zambia.

Message for Aspiring Women Leaders

My advice to aspiring women leaders is that the glass ceiling only exists if you accept it as a limitation. Impact is rarely tied to breaking through a ceiling (often defined as earning a specific job title or promotion). True change comes from how you leverage your gifts and talents to contribute to the development of the world around you. It's about using your abilities to uplift and empower others, regardless of your official position. Ultimately, the difference you make is what defines your leadership, not the titles or roles others assign to you.

Lola Aladesanmi, CEO, BROADIMPACT

Lola Aladesanmi, CEO of BROADIMPACT, is a visionary leader with over two decades of experience in public health, education, and social development. Passionate about sustainable change, she drives large-scale development programs, empowering public sector and grassroots organizations across Africa. Lola's work focuses on fostering equity, quality, and sustainability in health and social systems, inspiring transformative impact.