Dr. Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola is a public policy researcher and urban development practitioner whose work focuses on climate adaptation, disaster risk governance, and urban resilience. His experience cuts across Africa, Europe, and Asia, with particular expertise in disaster response, transformative recovery, and climate-related loss and damage. He has developed and applied resilience diagnostics, recovery frameworks, and governance analyses that bridge research, policy, and practice.
Widely published in academic journals and global outlets, he is recognised for advancing evidence-based approaches that strengthen institutions, foster inclusive governance, and inform sustainable recovery pathways under the Sendai Framework, Paris Agreement, and SDGs.
Experience
Olasunkanmi is a senior associate at the United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) in Bonn, Germany, where he contributes to the Urban Resilience Knowledge Series covering 50 African cities and leads research on transformational recovery pathways to minimise loss and damage.
He is also a guest lecturer for the Doctoral Programme in Climate Change and Human Habitat at WASCAL (West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use), Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria. In addition, he serves as a Disaster Risk Reduction Expert at the Institute for Land and Community Resilience, Federal University of Technology, Minna. Previously, he was a Visiting Scientist at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, and a Research Coordinator for Bridge International Academies in Nigeria.
Education
2018
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Urban and Regional Planning
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
2014
Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Urban and Regional Planning
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
2009
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Urban and Regional Planning
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Awards
2024
Policy Leader Fellowship Scholarship
Policy Leader Fellowship Scholarship, European University Institute
2024
Mary Fran Myers Scholarship for Disaster Research and Practice
Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder
2022
Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship
Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship
2021
DAAD Climate change research in Africa Scholarship
DAAD Climate change research in Africa Scholarship
2018
Inspirational Performance Award
Bridge International Academies
Research
Research interest
Disaster Response and Transformative Recovery
Climate Adaptation and Loss and Damage
Urban Resilience and Governance in Fragile Contexts
Publications
Okunola, O. H. (2025). Exploring multi-level governance arrangements in disaster recovery: A study of Lagos, Nigeria. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 118, 105254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105254
Okunola, O. H. (2025). Beyond Institutional Silos: Rethinking Multilevel Disaster Risk Governance in Africa a Decade into the Sendai Framework Implementation. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13753-025-00646-1
Nouhou, Y. D., Otache, M. Y., Illiassou, S. A., Okunola, O. H., Okhimamhe, A. A., & Nguyen, T. T. (2025). Flood Risk Assessment and Zoning for Niamey and Lokoja Metropolises in Niger and Nigeria. Hydrology, 12(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12010017
Okunola, O. H. (2024). Stakeholder engagement in disaster recovery: Insights into roles and power dynamics from the Ahr Valley, Germany. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 104960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104960
Okunola, O. H., & Werners, S. E. (2024). A multi-dimensional framework for assessing disaster recovery pathways: Lessons and experiences from Germany and Nigeria. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 112, 104777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104777
Singh, C., Ramesh, A., Hagenlocher, M. Shekhar, H., Siemons, A., Okunola, O.H, Werners S. (2024). Applying recent advances in climate adaptation research to urban heat risk management. WIREs Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.901
Okunola O.H., Simatele M.D., Daramola O.P. (2023): To live or to die: Cultural and Social Factors influencing Flood Preparedness in Sub-Saharan African Cities. African Geographical Review. https://doi.org/10.1080/19376812.2023.2184841
Okunola O.H., Mulala M.D., Olowoporoku O (2022): The influence of socioeconomic factors on individual and household adaptation strategies to climate change risks in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Integrative Environmental Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1080/1943815X.2022.2143821
Okunola, O.H. and Olawuni, P.O. (2022): Determinants of Household Flood Resilience Strategies in Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria. Journal of Urban Climate. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2022.101216
Okunola, O.H. and Bako, A.I. (2021): Exploring residential characteristics as determinants of household adaptation to climate change in Lagos, Nigeria. International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJDRBE-06-2021-0060
Okunola, O. H. (2021): Survival of the Fittest: Assessing Incidents of Building Collapse and Management Practices in Lagos, Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Quality Management. https://doi.org/10.1002/tqem.21781
Okunola, O.H. (2019): Spatial analysis of disaster statistics in selected cities of Nigeria, International. Journal of Emergency Management, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp.299–315. http://10.1504/IJEM.2019.104195
Okunola, O.H. (2019): Residents vulnerability analysis and explanation of development-induced disasters in a Sub-Saharan African city, International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 71-84. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJDRBE-05-2019-0024
Badiora, A.I., Ojewale, O.S., and Okunola, O.H (2015): Perceived Risk and Fear of Crime in Public Transport Nodes: The Experience from Nigerian Transit Environment, International Journal of Criminal Justice Sciences, Vol.10, No. 2, pp. 139-151. http://www.sascv.org/ijcjs/pdfs/badioraetalijcjs2015vol10issue2.pdf
Olawuni, P. O, and Okunola, O.H (2014): An assessment of the environmental effects of sawmilling activities on residents of Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Design and Management, Vol. 6, pp. 141-150. https://jedm.oauife.edu.ng/journal/index.php/jedm3/article/view/29/29
Badiora, A.I, Okunola, O.H. and Ojewale O.S (2014): Crime statistics in a Nigerian Traditional City: A Geographic Analysis, Journal of Asian and African Studies, Vol. 55 No. 5, pp.545-559. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0021909614552917
Okunola, O.H. (2025). Adaptive Pathways to Flood Resilient Infrastructure in African Coastal Cities: Lessons and Experiences from Nigeria and South Africa. In: Cheshmehzangi, A., Zuo, J., Sharifi, A., Zhang, R., Ziafati Bafarasat, A., Zhao, J. (eds) Designing Healthy Cities. Urban Sustainability. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-5538-0_7
Okunola, O.H. Public Emergencies and Secuirty Governace in Nigeria. In Contemporary Secuirty Governance in Nigeria. Lexington books, London. https://books.google.de/books/about/Contemporary_Security_Governance_in_Nige.html?id=3KIHEQAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y
Kalubowila, P., Buri, S., Lietaert, I., Cissé, J. D., Backhouse, J., Janz, T., ... & Okunola, O. H. (2024). How Can Urban Governance Better Respond to Climate Risks in the Global South?. https://cris.unu.edu/sites/cris.unu.edu/files/UNU-CRIS_Working-Paper_2402-Kalubowila%20et%20al.pdf
Okunola, O. H., Balogun, K., & Ojo, D. B. (2023). Indigenous Knowledge and Flood Resilience Strategies in African Coastal Cities: From Practice to Policy. Water and Environment for Sustainability: Case Studies from Developing Countries, 161-172. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27280-6_10
Babamaaji, R., Shaba, Okunola, O.H., Chinyere A, E., & Kadir, G. (2023). Nigeria natural hazard governance: institutional perspective. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Natural Hazard Science. Last modified (blank). doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199389407.013.448
Balogun, A. Shekhar, H., Burdryte, P, Okunola, O.H. (2022): Urban resilience in the fourth industrial revolution: Transformative digitalization in European smart cities to address climate change. In: Sharifi, A., Salehi, P. (eds) Resilient Smart Cities. The Urban Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95037-8
Okunola, O.H. (2024): Post-flood recovery: lessons from Germany and Nigeria on how to help people cope with loss and build resilience. The Conversation
Okunola, O.H. (2024): How countries in conflict zones can recover from floods – lessons from Pakistan. The Conversation.
Okunola, O.H (2024): Traditional weather forecasts: expert shares 5 ways Africa’s coastal residents predict floods. The Conversation
Okunola, O.H (2023): Nigeria needs to take climate action: 4 urgent steps to start with. The Conversation
Okunola, O.H. and Werners, S. (2023): Progress on climate change was made in Bonn, but more will need to be done at COP28. London School of Economics
Okunola, O.H. and Werners, S (2023).: Nigerian cities are underprepared for flooding caused by climate change. Published by London School of Economics
Okunola, O.H. and Simatele, M.D (2023): Climate change in urban Nigeria - 4 factors that affect how residents adapt. The Conversation.
Werners, S. and Okunola, O.H (2022): COP27 in review: climate talks delivered big gains for Africa and several challenges. The Conversation
Okunola, O.H (2022): Nigeria’s floods are the worst in a decade. Here’s how people try to cope with the devastation. The Conversation
Okunola, O.H. (2022): Five steps Nigeria must take to stop buildings collapsing in Lagos. The Conversation
Okunola, O.H (2022): How policy can address frequent flooding in African coastal cities. Published by London School of Economics.
Okunola, O.H (2022): Quantifying frequent building collapse and disaster risk reduction in Nigeria. Published by Brookings Institutions, April, 26.
Okunola, O.H. (2022): What Nigerian cities can do to cope better with flood risk. Published by The Conversation, January, 9.
Okunola, O.H (2021): Building collapses are all too common in Lagos. Here’s why. Published by The Conversation, August 22.
Okunola, O.H. (2021): Nigeria and disaster risk reduction practices. Published by The Punch Nigeria, September, 2021.
Okunola, O.H. (2021): Exploring Nigeria’s home-grown school feeding programme. Published by Vanguard Nigeria, August, 2021.