Dr. Samuel Oyewole

Lecturer I

Faculty of Social Science · Department of Political Science

Specialization Military and Strategic Studies; International Relations

Phone: +2348034189332

Email: samuel.oyewole@fuoye.edu.ng

Biography

Dr Samuel Oyewole is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Nigeria. He also serves as a Research Fellow and Programme Coordinator for Research at the African Centre for the Study of the United States (ACSUS), University of Pretoria, South Africa. He holds a PhD in International Relations from North-West University, South Africa. His research focuses on aerospace, defence, and strategic studies, ocean governance, emerging technologies, and International Relations.
Dr Oyewole has authored more than 100 scholarly publications, including the monograph Utilitarianism in Outer Space: Space Policy, Socioeconomic Development and Security Strategies in Nigeria and South Africa (Springer, 2024). He has also co-edited several influential books, including African Perspectives on Trump 2.0 (ESI Press, 2025), The Political Economy of Kidnapping and Insecurity in Nigeria (Springer, 2024), Armed Banditry and Human Security in Nigeria (Palgrave, 2024), and Boko Haram’s Terrorism and the Nigerian State (Routledge, 2021). His research has been published in leading international journals such as Regulation & Governance, Astropolitics, South African Journal of International Affairs, and Journal of Applied Security Research, and he has contributed to major reference works, including the Oxford Handbook of Space Security.
His research has attracted competitive funding from organisations such as the Open Society Foundations. He has received numerous awards for research, teaching, and science communication, including The Conversation Africa Communication Award (2025) for the University of Pretoria's most published author and the Science Communication Award (2021) for FUOYE’s most read author.
Dr Oyewole is actively engaged in graduate supervision, grant development, conference organisation, policy dialogues, and public scholarship. Through his teaching, research, and policy engagement, he seeks to advance African perspectives in global debates on technology, governance, security, and international order while mentoring the next generation of scholars and policy practitioners.

Research Interests

Military and Strategic Affairs
Technological Governance (Policy, Diplomacy, and Geopolitics)
Multidomain Governance (Oceans, Airspace, Outer Space, and Cyberspace)
African Affairs (Governance, Development, and Security)

Qualifications

• PhD Social Sciences with International Relations, North-West University, South Africa. (2022)
• MSc Political Science, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. (2017)
• BSc Political Science and International Relations, Osun State University, Nigeria. (2012)

Selected Publications

1. The Ukraine War and Russia’s Soft Power in Africa
   Authors: Ogunnoiki, A.O., Ekpo, C.E., and Oyewole, S.
   Journal of Asian and African Studies (2026)
2. Autonomous Weapons Systems in Africa: Emerging Realities, Prospects, and Risks
   Authors: Oyewole, S., Isike, C., Oche, T., and Olumba, E.
   Journal of Applied Security Research (2025)
3. Challenging Eurocentrism: An Afrocentric Appraisal of the Cape Sea Route
   Authors: Oyewole, S.
   The Strategic Review for Southern Africa (2025)
4. Regulating Autonomous Weapon Systems: Searching for African Solutions to Regional and Global Problems
   Authors: Olumba, E. E., Oyewole, S., Isike, C., & Oche, T. O.
   Regulation & Governance Regulation & Governance (2025)
5. The ethno-regional and religious drivers of Nigeria’s foreign policy
   Authors: Isike, C., Oyewole, S. & Okolie, A.
   Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional (2024)
6. African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Challenges of Protectionist Policies on Regional Integration: Insights from Nigeria and South Africa
   Authors: Adenuga, G.A., Amusan, L., and Oyewole, S.
   African Renaissance (2024)
7. Precision Agriculture and the Prospects of Space Strategy for Food Security in Africa
   Authors: Amusan, L. and Oyewole, S.
   African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development (2023)
8. Forces of Terror: Armed Banditry and Insecurity in North-west Nigeria
   Authors: Ojo, S.J., Oyewole, S. & Aina, F.
   Democracy & Security (2023)
9. Ethno-religious conflicts and the challenges of national security in Nigeria
   Authors: Adenuga, G., Olajubu, A.O., Oyewole, S. and Omotola, J.S.
   South African Review of Sociology (2023)
10. Violence in Nigeria’s 2019 General Elections: Trend and Geospatial Dimensions
    Authors: Oyewole, S and Omotola, J.S.
    GeoJournal (2022)
11. Wings over Flies: Air Campaigns against Armed Banditry in North West Nigeria
    Authors: Oyewole, S., Aina, F., and Ojo, S.J.
    RUSI journal (2022)
12. Struck and Killed in Nigerian Air Force’s Campaigns: Assessment of Air Strike Locations, Targets and Impacts in Internal Security Operations
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    African Security Review (2021)
13. The Enduring Relevance of Naval Power: Reflections on Defence, Security and Power Projection of Sea Frontier
    Authors: Oyewole, S and Duyile, A.
    Austral: Brazilian Journal of Strategy and International Relations (2021)
14. The Quest for Space Capabilities and Military Security in Africa
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    South African Journal of International Affairs (2020)
15. Civil-Military Relations: Conflict and Cooperation between Military Bases and Host Communities in Nigeria
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    African Security (2020)
16. The Fracturing of pro-Biafra Nationalist Movements
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    African Conflict and Peacebuilding Review (2019)
17. Women as Agents of Terror: Women Resources and Gender Discourse in Terrorism and Insurgency
    Authors: Amusan, L., Adeyeye, A.I., and Oyewole, S.
    Politikon: South African Journal of Political Studies (2019)
18. Militarisation of Oil and Environmental Politics in Nigeria: Armed Resistance, State Responses and Peace Prospects in the Niger Delta Region
    Authors: Oyewole, S, Adegboye, D., and Durosinmi, E.
    Covenant University Journal of Politics & International Affair (2018)
19. Flying and Bombing: The Contributions of Air Power to Security and Crisis Management in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    Defence Studies (2018)
20. The quest for hegemony and the future of African solutions to African development problems: lessons from headways in the African security sector
    Authors: Amusan, L. and Oyewole, S.
    Journal of Asian and African Studies (2017)
21. Making the sky relevant to battle strategy: Counterinsurgency and the prospects of Air Power in Nigeria
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    Studies in Conflict & Terrorism (2017)
22. Space Research and Development in Africa
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    Astropolitics: The International Journal of Space Politics and Policy (2017)
23. Too Early to Celebrate! The Decline of Somali Piracy off the East Coast of Africa
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    Strategic Analysis (2017)
24. Rescuing Boko Haram’s Schoolgirl victims
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    New Zealand International Review (2016)
25. The Fate of Hostages: Nigeria’s Conflict Theatres in Comparative Perspective
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    African Security Review (2016)
26. Suppressing Maritime Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: The Prospects and Challenges of the Regional Players
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    Australian Journal of Maritime and Ocean Affairs (2016)
27. Boko Haram: Insurgency and the War against Terrorism in the Lake Chad Region
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    Strategic Analysis (2015)
28. Boko Haram terrorism in Nigeria: A Reflection on the Failure of Democratic Containment
    Authors: Amusan, L. and Oyewole, S.
    Politeia: South African Journal of Political Science and Public Administration (2014)
29. Boko Haram and the challenges of Nigeria’s war on terror
    Authors: Oyewole, S.
    Defense and Security Analysis (2013)

Membership of Professional Bodies

• International Studies Association (ISA) - Member (2026)
• African Military Studies Association (AMSA) - Programme Coordinator II (2025-date)
• International Political Science Association (IPSA) - Member (2025-date)
• Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) - Member (2019)

Paper Presentation - Local

• Trump 2.0 and U.S. Foreign Policy: Risks and Opportunities for Nigeria - Faculty Lecture Series, Faculty of Social Sciences, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria (2026)
• The United States, Strategic Ambiguity, and the Israel-Iran War - Hybrid Symposium organised by the Department of History and International Studies, Lagos State University, Nigeria, on Israel–Iran War: Power, Proxy, and Politics in the Middle East (2025)
• Nigeria’s Foreign Policy in 2024 and Beyond - Townhall Meeting, Academy of International Affairs, Lagos (2024)
• Youth, cybercrimes and the threat of biased-based profiling of citizens in Nigeria - Workshop on “Multidimensional cyber threats and national security: Protection vs Predation of civil liberties in Nigeria”, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Nigeria Office, Visa Kareena Hotel, Port Harcourt (2023)
• Socio-Political Unity in the State in the Contemporary Security Environment - Lecture delivered at the “hosting of participants of the National Defence College Course 32 Study Tour of Kwara State from Abuja” by the State Governor at the Governor’s Office Conference Room, Ilorin, Nigeria (2023)
• Reversing the Predatory Circle: Re-inventing Political Leadership for Human Development and Security in Africa - 32nd Annual Conference of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) (2019)

Paper Presentation - International

• Space Security and the Military Use of Outer Space - African Perspective - Inaugural African Space Law and Policy Conference, Pretoria. (2026)
• Opting for Ultimate Higher Ground: African space strategies and military security - Guest Lecture, The African Leadership Centre (ALC), King’s College London and the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS), Addis Ababa University (2026)
• Space Security and the Military Use of Outer Space - Guest Lecture, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, South Africa (2026)
• Space Technologies in Ocean Governance: Africa, the United States, and the Challenging Trajectories of Cooperation - The Conference on Africa, the United States, and Geoeconomics of the Sea, jointly organised by the African Centre for the Study of the United States (ACSUS-UP) and the Ocean Regions Programme of the Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa. (2025)
• Trust, Cooperation, and Space Policy - Guest lecture at the Space Governance Lab, Arizona State University, USA (2025)
• African Perspectives on Airpower in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Automation of Warfare - Royal Air Force Museum’s Conference, London (2025)
• Space Geopolitics - Guest lecture delivered to a cohort of the African Space Leadership Institute (2025)
• Between Expectations and Realities: African Sense-Making of the 2024 US Elections and Politics - The 28th International Political Science Association (IPSA) World Congress of Political Science, Coex Convention & Exhibition Center, 513 Yeongdongdaero, Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea (2025)
• European Multinationals in the African Space Industry - British International Studies Association’s (BISA) Conference (2025)
• The Geopolitics of AI in Africa - African Association of Japanese Studies’ (AAJS) Webinar on Tech, Tongues, and Thoughts: Global Africa and AI (2025)
• Redefining Pan-Africanism for Africa’s Space Aspirations - Thought Leadership Session of Spaecehub Africa (2025)
• Can AI become a Decolonial Tool for Peace and Justice? - AI Week at King’s College London (2025)
• Trump 2.0 and Africa: The Politics of Strategic Patience and Realignment - ACSUS-UP Workshop on African Perspectives on Trump 2.0: US Foreign Policy and the New World (Re)Order (2025)
• Preserving African Languages Through Natural Language Processing: Opportunities, Challenges, and Epistemic Equity - 20th International Conference on Sustainable Development, jointly organized by Ontario International Development Agency, Canada, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Law, Centre for Research in Social Justice and Policy, Laurentian University, Canada, and Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa. (2024)
• Cape Sea Route: Strategic Opportunities and Challenges - 3rd Colloquium of the Ocean Regions Programme (ORP), jointly organized by ORP of the Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria, BRICS Think Thank, and Institute for Security Studies, South Africa (2024)
• Regulating Autonomous Weapons: Searching for African Solution to Global and Regional Problems - Digital Pathway to Peace Colloquium, Pretoria (2024)
• Space diplomacy - Expert lecture delivered on emerging trends on diplomacy at the Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa (2024)
• The Royal Air Force in Africa: Foreign Airpower and Post-Colonial Security Architecture in the 21st Century - Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum’s Conference on “The Future of Air Power: The Royal Air Force since 1980 and Beyond”, London. (2024)
• US-Africa Space Cooperation: Science Diplomacy and the Geopolitics of Technologies - Public lecture, African Centre for the Study of the United States, University of Pretoria, South Africa (2024)
• Approaching Ocean Governance in Africa: A framework of Analysis - Roundtable Presentation, Ocean Regions Programme of the Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria (2024)
• Air and Sea Strategies, Maritime Security, and Ocean Governance in Africa - Public lecture, the (British) Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum (2024)
• Ocean Governance and Maritime Security Nexus: Perspectives on African Experiences in the South-West of the Atlantic - The colloquium on “Ocean region in an era of global transformation: human security concerns in the maritime domain”, University of Pretoria, South Africa (2023)
• Drone Revolution in Military Airpower: African Experiences and Perspectives - Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum’s Conference on “Progress, Regress, and Change: Air Force since the early 20th Century”, London. (2023)
• West Africa’s Regional Strategic Importance - West African Stability and Intellectual Exchange, Centre for Adaptive and Innovative Statecraft (CAIS), Joint Special Operations University, 7708 Tampa Point Blvd, Tampa, Florida, USA. (2023)
• Close Air Support in Global-South Conflicts: The Nigerian Military Experience Since 1967 - Conference Presentation on “Close Air Support and the Battlefield” organised by the British Commission for Military History (BCMH) and hosted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum, London (2023)
• Managing data breach vulnerabilities within African digital markets - African Digital Policy Series, Centre for Research on African Digital Policy and Innovation, South Africa. (2022)
• How Space Research can help Africa meet the SDGs - Webinar of the University of Johannesburg’s Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC) on “Reaching for the final frontier: The African Space Sector” (2022)
• Air and space strategy in African Counterinsurgency Operations: Insights from the Nigeria’s War against Boko Haram - International Conference on Counter-terrorism, Technology and Development in Africa, jointly organised by the Centre forMilitary Studies, Stellenbosch University, South Africa and the Africa Research Institute, Óbuda University, Hungary (2022)
• Meanings and Memories of Foreign Airpower in Africa: Reflections on Fears, Humiliations and Hope from the Sky - RAF Museum Conference on ‘Meaning, Memory and the (Mis-)Remembered Past (2022)
• Air and Space Strategies in African Disaster Management - Public lecture, the (British) Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum (2022)
• Air Power Capabilities and Applications of African Regional Powers - Royal Air Force Museum Conference on “New Thinking in Air Power, London. (2021)

Course Teaching

• POL303 - Research Methodology in Political Science
• POL312 - Theories of International Relations
• POL407 - Contemporary Defence and Strategic Studies