Adaobi holds a Doctorate in Literary and Cultural Studies (University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia), an M.A. in Development Studies (Institute of Development Studies (IDS) University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom) and a B.A. in English Language (University of Lagos, Nigeria). She is a social development researcher with over 22 years of practical experience working with international and local non-governmental organizations on a broad spectrum of development issues.
Over the past 16 years, she has pursued an interest in establishing the linkages between literature and social development issues. She has documented her learnings on her website (www.fictioning-development.org), highlighting how literature, particularly from the global south mirrors social development concerns.