Our Team

RAHMA ABIKAR

Rahma Abikar is a Senior Associate with Sabi Insight Ltd and our lead Monitoring and Evaluation specialist.

She has over ten years experience in monitoring and evaluation and strategic research across Somalia, Kenya and East Africa. Rahma has worked for local and international NGOs (Oxfam / DRC / WASDA) , international organisations (ICRC / IOM) and leading research institutions (Sahan). She has extensive experience in programme design, development, and implementation in the areas of research, accountability and policy formulation.

Rahma holds a Master’s in public health and Epidemiology. She speaks Somali, Swahili, and English fluently.

ROGER MIDDLETON

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Roger founded Sabi insight in 2021 to provide a boutique service to those who seek greater understanding of dynamics and trends in the Horn of Africa, East Africa, and Nigeria. He has over a fifteen years experience working in and on the Horn and East Africa.

Until the end of 2018 Roger led Conflict Dynamics International’s team working on political accommodation and reconciliation in Somalia and Somaliland. Previously Roger worked with Oxfam in Somalia as Policy and Advocacy Lead, working on issues related to peacebuilding, humanitarian delivery, and sustainable livelihoods. Before that as a consultant researcher he coordinated work on the Horn of Africa for Chatham House with a focus on Somalia and the Sudan’s.

Roger has published widely on issues of politics in the Horn of Africa, Piracy from Somalia, African Peace and Security Architecture, and Africa’s relations with the EU. He is a fellow of the Rift Valley Institute, and has degrees from Trinity College Dublin and the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Roger speaks French, and is slowly learning Somali and Yoruba

DEREJE SEYOUM MENGISTU

Dereje Seyoum Mengistu is a Senior Associate with Sabi Insight Ltd. For over 12 years he has focused on issues of peace and stability in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa.

Mr. Mengistu has extensive experience designing and managing activities to identify, analyze, and address challenges to peace and development in Ethiopia.

He recently led the U.S. State Department supported program for “Promoting Religious and Ethnic Tolerance in Ethiopia”. Previously, Mr. Mengistu led GIZ funded programs and served as the Stabilization Advisor for the Horn of Africa at the Royal Danish Embassy and DANIDA in Ethiopia.

He earned a MSC in Governance and Development from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, and an MA in Peace and Security Studies, from Addis Ababa University. He holds a BA (Education) from Haramaya University in Ethiopia.

DR. ENIOLA SOYEMI

RESEARCH DIRECTOR

Eniola is an expert in political theory with a focus on democratic legitimacy. As our Director of Research Eniola ensures that all Sabi outputs and research is conducted to the highest standards.

She is currently a Research Associate (DPIR), and Associate Member (Nuffield College), University of Oxford. Previously she was a Max Weber Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy.

She has led research in the field in West Africa and has published widely on topics relating to political legitimacy. Eniola has worked for think tanks, including Chatham House, and universities. She has degrees from Boston University, University College London and the University of Kent.

She speaks fluent Yoruba and English, and conversational Hausa.