With a distinguished career spanning nearly three decades across the telecommunications, banking, and social development sectors, Odunayo Sanya, as the Executive Director of the MTN Nigeria Foundation, has consistently driven institutional growth and stakeholder value.
She has overseen strategic social impact investments aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), national growth priorities, and MTN’s corporate sustainability framework.
Prior to her role at MTN Nigeria Foundation, Sanya built a robust background in commercial banking and corporate governance.
She began her financial services career at Standard Trust Bank (now UBA Plc), where she excelled across Treasury Operations, Marketing, and Customer Relations. She subsequently transitioned to Prudent Bank (later Skye Bank Plc), taking on leadership roles as a Marketer, Customer Service Manager, and Head of Internal Control.
She initially joined MTN Nigeria and has held leadership roles including General Manager, Planning & Customer Management, before taking up her current executive role overseeing Foundation operations.
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She currently serves as the Foundation’s Executive Director, leading the team to deliver strategic initiatives in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, Nigeria’s National Priorities, and MTN Nigeria’s Corporate Social Investment objectives.
Sanya is an alumni of the Lagos Business School and the Institute of Management Development (IMD) Switzerland.
She has attended executive trainings at the Harvard Business School, INSEAD, Cornell University, and Imperial College London. She holds a first degree in Political Science from the University of Abuja, and an MBA in Leadership & Sustainability from the University of Cumbria in the United Kingdom.
Recognized for her leadership in social change, she is a certified Maxwell Leadership Coach, a PROSCI change practitioner, and the author of The Alphabets of Leadership for Young Minds, which is listed in the U.S. Library of Congress.
Under her direction, the MTN Foundation has driven initiatives in health, education, entrepreneurship, youth empowerment, and gender inclusion—including lab revitalizations and STEM scholarships for girls nationwide.
At the 2nd Instinct Women Conference and Awards themed, ‘women who build Nations’ she was awarded the Sustainable Corporate Leadership Award.
Sanya has demonstrated that effective leadership is rooted in creating meaningful impact. Her commitment to developing high-performing teams, and driving sustainable ability to ensure efficient and effective service delivery earned her recognition as a respected and sustainable leader.
Instinct Women’s Woman of the Week recognizes outstanding women leaders whose influence, innovation, and leadership are shaping industries across the globe and Odunayo Sanya exemplifies this impact in east Africa.
