Godliness
We believe the fear of God is the foundation of true success. We practise and promote godly values, and train young people to live righteously with zero tolerance for corruption.
About us
We believe in young people, especially those the world overlooks.
Paaneah Foundation is a youth-development organisation based in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria, with a special focus on young adolescents.
Our mission
To catalyse, promote and support the development and well-being of adolescents and youths, particularly the most vulnerable, to attain excellence in every dimension of life.
Early adolescence, roughly ages 10 to 14, is one of the most rapid periods of human development. It is also one of the most neglected. Decisions about school, health and relationships made in these years echo for decades.
We set out in December 2016 to close that gap in our own community. We give young people practical skills they can use immediately, trustworthy information about their health and bodies, and adults who take their ambitions seriously.
Our approach draws on the public-health and adolescent-development expertise of our leadership, applied locally, measured honestly and shaped by the young people we serve.
What guides us
Our values
Resilience
No matter the adversity, we believe every young person can yet succeed, and we will succeed.
Excellence
We aim to be the best, demonstrating creativity and competence, and we will not compromise on standards.
Approachability
Our doors are open to all young people, and we operate in an adolescent-friendly, youth-responsive manner.
Trustworthiness
Character is our hallmark. We operate with integrity in all areas and at all times.
Leadership
Professor Adesegun Fatusi
Chief Executive Officer, since December 2016
A professor of community medicine and public health, Prof. Fatusi has helped lead Nigeria's national policy on adolescent health and youth development for more than two decades. He founded Paaneah Foundation to give back to society, out of a deep commitment to developing the potential of young people.
In 2025 he became the first African to receive the Founders Award of the International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH), presented at the 13th World Congress on Adolescent Health. The award honours outstanding and lasting contributions to adolescent health worldwide.
- Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Nigeria's first specialised medical university
- Former Provost, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
- Led the development of Nigeria's first National Training Manual on Adolescent Health (1999)
- Founder, Society for Adolescent and Young People's Health in Nigeria (SAYPHIN)
- Chaired the National Technical Working Group on Adolescent Health and Development for over a decade
- Member, Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing
- Guttmacher Institute Bixby International Leadership Fellow (2021–2022)
- Adviser to WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNAIDS, the World Bank and others
Our team
The people behind the programmes
Prof. Adesegun Fatusi
Professor of community medicine and public health, and a global leader in adolescent health.
Oluwasola Elisha
Leads the foundation's programmes, from skills training and free exam preparation to character development.
“Young people are resources to be developed and a force for positive development.” (as reported by Daily Independent)
Olajide T. Ogunniran
Facilitated the 2022 Summer ICT Skill Acquisition Programme at the Paaneah secretariat.
“Prof. Fatusi is an embodiment of excellence, and this recognition is a reward for years of consistent impact.”
Where we work
Rooted in Ota, Ogun State
Ota is one of Nigeria's fastest-growing industrial towns. It is full of energy and opportunity, but many young people here still lack access to skills, health services and safe spaces to grow.
Our secretariat sits in Olosun Quarters, close to the families we serve. The area has no reliable power supply, so our centre runs on generators, and poor roads make it hard for some young people to reach us. We keep going because the need is real.
Together, we can build a better future for our young people.
Your support helps young people in Ota and beyond learn practical skills, stay healthy and grow into confident adults.