Senior Lecturer
St. Andrew’s University
Dr Ifesinachi Okafor-Yarwood is a leadership, security and development scholar and practitioner specialising in maritime security, marine socio-ecology, and the blue economy. As a Lecturer in Sustainable Futures at the University of St Andrews, her work integrates academic rigour with practical experience to address critical challenges at the intersection of environmental stewardship, maritime safety, security, and socio-economic development.
Her research explores the geopolitical dynamics of the blue economy, maritime security governance, digital technologies in Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), and the integration of gender perspectives into maritime peace and security frameworks. Since 2023, Dr Okafor-Yarwood has served as the Women, Peace, and (Maritime) Security Advisor (West Africa) for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Global Maritime Crime Programme. She has briefed the UN Peacebuilding Commission on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and contributed to international reports on gender and maritime security, fisheries and the blue economy.
As a dedicated educator and mentor, Dr. Okafor-Yarwood fosters the next generation of leaders through interdisciplinary teaching that bridges theory and practice. Her passion for knowledge sharing extends to her role as the host of the African Geopardy Podcast, a platform amplifying diverse perspectives on Africa’s geopolitical, environmental, and security challenges.
A PEW Marine Fellow (2023–2026), Dr Okafor-Yarwood is advancing research on marine social ecology in Africa. Her project centers on equitable resource management, emphasising the value of local and Indigenous knowledge to promote sustainable fisheries livelihoods.
Through her scholarship, advisory roles, and public engagement, Dr Okafor-Yarwood actively contributes to global conversations on inclusive and sustainable maritime governance and security, driving meaningful change within academic, policy, and practitioner communities.