Nana Odoi

Nana Odoi has been the Managing Director of FriEnt – Working Group on Peace and Development since May 2025.

She is an expert in international development cooperation with more than 20 years of experience in the fields of conflict management, peace and security, as well as displacement and migration. She studied Social Anthropology at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Management from ASH Berlin, and obtained a diploma in Human Rights and Displacement from the UN‑mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica.

Since 2007, Nana Odoi has held various senior management positions with GIZ, with a clear regional focus on Africa. She has extensive technical expertise in the field of peace and security and in the practical implementation of the Humanitarian‑Development‑Peace (HDP) Nexus. During her assignments in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda and Mozambique, she managed multi‑million‑euro portfolios, led international teams and coordinated cooperation with multilateral and regional partners such as UNHCR, ECOWAS, the African Union and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). Key thematic priorities included displacement and migration, and their linkages with security and development policies.

Her work is characterised by in‑depth operational experience in implementing complex programmes as well as strategic advisory work with governments, regional organisations and civil society actors. Another focus of her work lies in organisation development and change management within institutions in the field of peace and security, particularly in Sub‑Saharan Africa.