Did you know that global food waste is indeed a thing? Did you know that according to Premium Times over 55% of all fruits and vegetables go to waste in Nigeria each year? It’s a shocking statistic that highlights the critical issue of global food waste. While we waste food, many people go hungry, and […]
Rescuing Food for Improved Food Security Read More »
Have you ever stopped to consider where your food comes from and how it got to your plate? Most of us don’t give it a second thought as we hurry through the grocery store, but the truth is that there’s a lot more to our food than we may realize. That’s why supporting local farmers
Supporting Local Farmers: Why Buying Local Matters. Read More »
Did you know that there are more women in the agriculture space than people care to acknowledge? For many people, when the word “farmer” is mentioned, the image of an elderly male flashes before them. However, according to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, women accounted for 75% of the Nigerian farming population
What You Didn’t Know about Women in Agriculture. Read More »
Soil is the backbone of agriculture and should be best suited for growing different crops and producing better yields. Because no soil is perfect, soil preparation is required both before and after cultivation. Agricultural soil is described as loamy, productive soil because there are numerous different types of soil and some are not suitable for
Soil Preparation: What You Need to Know. Read More »
Have you ever considered a career in agriculture? It would not be unexpected to hear “no” as an answer, especially from a young person. Young people now have more employment options that are unrestricted by norms as the world moves toward global digitalization. This has given a surge to massive innovations. This may be the best
Why You Should Consider Agriculture as a Nigerian Youth. Read More »
ASPIRE GLOBAL PARTNER, BABBAN GONA, INVESTS IN YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW Babban Gona, one of Aspire’s partner organizations in Nigeria, aims to ameliorate the level of poverty and violence so that the African economy continues to grow. Founded in 2012 during a time of continued turmoil and insecurity in West Africa, such
One of the main food and industrial crops growing on every continent is the soybean. With minimal agricultural input, the crop can be effectively cultivated in various states of Nigeria. This is due to its resistance to weather, diseases, and pests.. It also requires lower use of fertilizers, making it an excellent rotational crop with corn,
13 Fascinating Facts About Soybeans Read More »
According to available data provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria, about 63.2% of Nigerian adults have access to financial services. This number is even lower for Nigerians living in rural areas, which include smallholder farmers. It has been estimated that about 78% of smallholder farmers in Nigeria do not have access to financial services.
Video: Improving Smallholder Farmers Access to Financial Services Read More »
Our smallholder farmer members, Babbangida Hamisu, 32 years old and Markus Ibrahim, 29 years old, from Ikara Local Government, Kaduna State, Nigeria, share their thoughts with us during a visit to their respective farms in the ongoing 2022 planting season. Hamisu and Ibrahim spoke about the impact of Babban Gona’s modern farming and climate-friendly training
Education can be described as a process of development through the careful dissemination of knowledge. By educating an individual, the goal is to pass on some desirable information, skills, attitudes, interests, and frames of mind best for personal development. Etymologically, the term ‘education’, stems from the Latin word Educare, which means to train or bring
Education: An Imperative Tool for National Development. Read More »
Non-Executive Director
Independent Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Chairman of the Board
Non-Executive Director
Before joining Babban Gona, Lola was the Director for Trust and Safety at OLX Group, working across 30+ OLX markets to ensure that buyers and sellers can transact safely and securely on the platform. Prior to her global role at OLX, Lola was the Country Manager for OLX in Nigeria where she was responsible for driving all elements of the business including Business Development, Product Localization, Marketing and other relevant functions. OLX Group is one of the world’s leading online classifieds players. Through its brands including OLX, Avito, dubizzle and letgo, OLX Group is the home of online classifieds in high-growth markets.
These platforms are the leading destination for buying and selling used goods and services in 30 countries, and the #1 mobile app in its category in more than 20 markets. Globally ~ 11 million items are exchanged through its platforms every single month.
Prior to joining OLX, Lola spent 4 years at Google leading various Product Partnerships efforts across EMEA and Emerging Markets. Lola was one of the earliest Googlers in Sub-Saharan Africa when the technology company began its operations in the region.
Lola shaped the regional strategy, executed on several core initiatives and led business development efforts with key SSA partners including the telcos, OEMs, digital content providers and local entrepreneurs. Lola brings significant leadership experience in business development, entrepreneurship, operational transformation and product development across several industries including technology and financial services.
In addition to Africa, Lola has substantial international working experience in North America, Europe, and Asia. She also worked in the Chicago office of McKinsey & Company, where she spent time advising senior executives on extensive strategic management topics. Lola holds a Doctorate degree in Engineering from the UniversiAnnual Report 2019/2020 ty of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Virginia. She is happily married with two kids.
Managing Director
Furthermore, he led the development and execution of Notore’s commercial strategy across West and Central Africa, preparing the company to sell one million tons of fertilizer and establish a modern seed business.
He led the effort to raise $130 million in equity and the restructuring of $360 Million in debt. Kola brings significant leadership experience in venture capital, corporate finance, business development, marketing and operations, across four continents with multiple global companies, including GE, Notore and Abiomed. In addition, Kola brings extensive public sector experience as Senior Advisor to the Nigerian Minister of Agriculture.
In recognition for his leadership in driving positive change on the African Continent, he has received several global awards including the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship, a leading leadership institute led by General Collin Powell and appointed to the Board of the African Enterprise Challenge Fund, a $250 Million fund that awards grants and repayable grants to private sector companies to support innovative business ideas in agriculture, agribusiness, renewable energy, adaptation to climate change and access to information and financial services. Kola holds an MBA (Honors) from Harvard and a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Prior to Babban Gona, Kola was a Managing Director and CEO of a major subsidiary in the Notore Group, one of Nigeria’s leading agricultural conglomerates, where he raised US$24 Million to develop an integrated agricultural trading, production and processing business.
Furthermore, he led the development and execution of Notore’s commercial strategy across West and Central Africa, preparing the company to sell one million tons of fertilizer and establish a modern seed business.
He led the effort to raise $130 million in equity and the restructuring of $360 Million in debt. Kola brings significant leadership experience in venture capital, corporate finance, business development, marketing and operations, across four continents with multiple global companies, including GE, Notore and Abiomed. In addition, Kola brings extensive public sector experience as Senior Advisor to the Nigerian Minister of Agriculture.
In recognition for his leadership in driving positive change on the African Continent, he has received several global awards including the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship, a leading leadership institute led by General Collin Powell and appointed to the Board of the African Enterprise Challenge Fund, a $250 Million fund that awards grants and repayable grants to private sector companies to support innovative business ideas in agriculture, agribusiness, renewable energy, adaptation to climate change and access to information and financial services. Kola holds an MBA (Honors) from Harvard and a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
