Babajide Oluwase

Babajide Oluwase
Born	(1991-07-01) 1 July 1991 (age 34) Lagos, Nigeria
Nationality	Nigerian
Alma mater	Federal University of Technology Akure Lagos Business School University of Iowa
Occupation(s)	Business Executive, Entrepreneur
Known for	Cleantech, urban management and sustainability
Notable work	Author of The Young Climate Heroes
Title	Founder and CEO at Ecotutu
Website	jideoluwase.com

Babajide Oluwase (born 1 July 1991), is a Nigerian cleantech entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Ecotutu, a cleantech enterprise in Nigeria that provides solar-powered cold storage and cooling solutions. ^[1]

Since 2023, he has served as a trustee on the board of Youth Business International (YBI). From 2021 to 2024, he was an advisor to the Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, focusing on the Green and Digital Economy. In 2016, he authored Young Climate Heroes, a children’s book aimed at introducing environmental sustainability and climate action to young readers. ^[2]

Early life and education

Babajide Oluwase was born on 1 July 1991 in Lagos, Nigeria. He completed his Bachelor of Technology (Hons) in Urban and Regional Planning at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA). In 2016, he obtained a mini-MBA from Lagos Business School, followed by a Leadership in Business certificate at the University of Iowa as part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship. He later pursued a master’s degree in Urban Management at the University of Lagos, as a DAAD Scholar. ^[2]

Career

After his studies, Oluwase worked on projects supporting urban resilience, climate adaptation, and housing in Lagos under Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources. In 2016, he authored a fictional story book 'Young Climate Heroes', which has been used in schools to engage students on the basics of sustainability and climate change from an early age. ^[3]

In 2016, Oluwase founded RenewDrive, a renewable energy start-up aimed at improving access to clean energy and sustainable cooling solutions. In 2020, the company was rebranded as Ecotutu, expanding its mission to provide multichannel solar-powered cold storage and mobile cooling solutions for businesses across Nigeria. ^[4]

Additional career

Until 2023, Oluwase was a Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum, he is winner of The Tony Elumelu Foundation Grant and a Mandela Washington Fellowship, a flagship program of the United States Department of State. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

He is a trustee on the board of Youth Business International (YBI) since 2023 ^[8] . From 2021 to 2024, he served as an advisor to the Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS on the Green and Digital Economy. ^[2] Since 2023, he is also a member of the Youth Advisory Committee of the Netherlands Consulate in Lagos. ^[9]

He is a contributor to global platforms, including the World Economic Forum Agenda, Business Day Nigeria, Deutsche Welle, and Youth Business International publications, where he writes on entrepreneurship, urban planning, and cleantech innovation. ^[10]

Awards and fellowship

• Fellow, Mandela Washington Fellowship (2022). ^[11]
• The Tony Elumelu Foundation/GIZ Fellow (2018). ^[12]
• Global Entrepreneurship Summit Covid Resilience award nominee (2022). ^{[13] [14]}
• Winner, Orange Corners Nigeria Innovation Fund (2021). ^[15]
• Fellow, LEAP Africa Social Innovators Programme (2019/2020). ^[16]
• Fellow, Sustainable Solutions Africa 30 under 30 (2019). ^[17]
• Finalist, Youth Business International (YBI) (2022). ^{[18] [19]}
• Yunus and Youth Global Fellow (2020). ^[20]
• NutriPitch Grand Prize Winner (2021). ^{[21] [22]}
• Africa Climate-KIC Innovator (2021). ^[23]
• Zenith Bank Tech Fair 2.0 Winner. ^[24]

Social impact

Through Ecotutu, Oluwase has enabled farmers and health providers to preserve perishable goods and medicines while using dependable clean energy. His work has supported food security, public health, and economic resilience while reducing carbon emissions from traditional cold storage solutions. ^[25]

References

1. "Rate Of Food Spoilage In Sub Saharan African Countries Alarming". newtelegraphng.com. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
2. "Meet The Winner Of Zenith Bank Tech Fair". tribuneonlineng.com. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
3. "Babajide Oluwase Hackathon award". tunza.eco-generation.org. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
4. Grzeskiewicz, Hanna (2020-09-14). "Babajide Oluwase: The Environmental Enthusiast". Yunus&Youth. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
5. "Babajide Oluwase". weforum.org. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
6. "WEF Shapers". vanguardngr.com. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
7. "Tony Elumelu winners" (PDF). tonyelumelufoundation.org. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
8. Okojie, Josephine (2023-09-27). "Babajide Oluwase joins Youth Business International board of trustee". Businessday NG. Retrieved 2025-09-11.
9. Michael, Chisom (2024-08-23). "EU, Netherlands youth advisory councils advocate digital empowerment for young Nigerians". Businessday NG. Retrieved 2025-09-11.
10. "WEF, Babajide Oluwase".
11. "-Us Selects 56 Young Nigerians For Mandela Washington". premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
12. "Tony Elumelu winners" (PDF). tonyelumelufoundation.org. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
13. "Global Enterprenuer". youthbusiness.org. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
14. "Ten Startups Compete For WFP". tribuneonlineng.com. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
15. "Meet the winners". Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
16. "Leap Africa". leapafrica.org. Archived from the original on 2022-08-18. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
17. "Weforgood Announces Winners/". businessday.ng. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
18. "Fate Foundation Backed YBI Recognises Young Entrepreneurs". thenationonlineng.net. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
19. "YBI Awards". youthbusiness.org. Archived from the original on 2022-09-17. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
20. "Meet The YY Fellow Babajide Oluwase The Environmental Enthusiast". yunusandyouth.com. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
21. "Nutri Competition". Sunbusinessnetwork.org. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
22. "Winners Emerge At The 3rd Nourish Nigeria Competition". thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
23. "Africa Climaccelerator Start Up Spotlight Ecotutu". climaccelerator.climate-kic.org. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
24. "Zenith Banks Tech winner". leadership.ng. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
25. "Babajide Oluwase Of Renewdrive Is Our Bellanaijamcm This Week". bellanaija.com. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 2022-12-08.