An expert in the communications for development (C4D), Nirmal Rijal has extensive experience leading programs and projects in Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, and Nigeria. He leads project design, implementation, and evaluation in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Laos, and Pakistan. Since 2003, Rijal has played a variety of roles at EAI including being the organization’s first-ever Country Director in Nepal (2004-2009); Media Director for the Civil Society Media Project in Burma (2014-2015);Regional Coordinator for Asia (2016-2018); Media Director for the Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project in Nepal (2016-Present); and a leader and strategic designer of the Governance and Civic Engagement practice area (2018); and finally as interim Country Director for Equal Access Nigeria (July – October 2018); and as a consultant providing research, capacity-building, business development and policy/strategy leadership.

He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and a Ph.D. in communication studies from RMIT University, Australia. He is an avid sports lover with interests in soccer, cricket, basketball, and athletics. He loves to read about civic engagement as a pathway to meaningful participation for effective governance. Nirmal dreams of a day when all people in the world will have the voice and agency to shape their personal well-being and dignity. To contact Nirmal please email him at info@equalaccess.org.