Basic info
| First Name | Rafiu |
| Last Name | Olaore |
| User name | Rafiu |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Gender | Male |
| Full name | Rafiu Akinpelu Olaore |
| Working languages | English |
Bio
| About | Mr. Rafiu Akinpelu Olaore is the founder and executive director of the Youths Enterprise Development and Innovation Society (YEDIS), an NGO that has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Currently, he serves as a Chief Lecturer in the Procurement and Supply Chain Management Department at Osun State Polytechnic in Nigeria. Rafiu actively participates in global policy discussions, mentors young entrepreneurs, and advocates for digital rural entrepreneurship and innovation as essential drivers of youth employment and economic prosperity. |
| Education | Master of Science degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the University of Essex, United Kingdom (2012); Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Ekiti State University, Nigeria (2003); Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Entrepreneurship and Business Management from the National Open University of Nigeria (2020); Higher National Diploma in Purchasing and Supply from Osun State Polytechnic, Nigeria (1996). |
| Significant achievements | Rafiu is an experienced changemaker and an accredited stakeholder of the United Nations and the World Bank Group. He has served as a panelist and speaker at several significant global forums, including the International Training Center of the ILO’s 2025 2nd UN Virtual Worlds Day in Turin, Italy; the OECD’s 2025 Civil Society Days in Paris, France; the UN Economic Commission for Africa’s 2025 Africa Forum in Uganda; the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund meetings in the USA; the 2025 Accelerating Africa’s Growth Conference in Ghana; the One Young World Summit 2024 in Canada; the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference in Kenya; and the World Trade Organization’s 2024 Public Forum in Switzerland. Rafiu has received recognition for his expertise, being elected as the representative for the African Western and Central Regions on the World Bank and IMF Civil Society Policy Forum Working Group for the 2024-2026 term. In 2025, the British Council honoured Rafiu Olaore as a Finalist for the Study-UK Social Action Award in Nigeria. Additionally, he was recognised as the winner of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s 2025 Community Builder Award. Rafiu is also a member of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) Global Thinkers Network and serves as the Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria for the Osun State Chapter, covering the period from 2025 to 2027. |