Here’s a comprehensive overview of Professor Muritala Olakitan Awodun, a leading Nigerian scholar, entrepreneurship educator, and public sector reformer:
Professional Biography & Career Highlights
Academic Credentials:
Holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Economics, and a Ph.D. in International Business. He is a Professor of Business and Entrepreneurship with fellowships in multiple professional bodies including FNIM, FIMC, FCIE, and others.
Academic Leadership:
Pioneer Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship at Kwara State University (2009–2013)
Pioneer Dean of the School of Business and Governance at the same university (2013–2015)
Joined Crown‑Hill University (now Ojaja University) in 2019 as Director of its Centre for Enterprise and Human Capital Development, serving until 2023
He serves on the Governing Council of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin since 2022.
Public Sector & Enterprise Reform
Leadership at KW-IRS:
Appointed as the pioneer Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service in October 2015. He led the agency’s complete reformation, transforming it from an organization generating ₦7.2 billion per annum (2015) to ₦23.1 billion by 2018—achieved through structural reform, technology, ISO‑accreditation, and staff restructuring.
Consultancy & Advisory Roles:
Advised public and international institutions—including the Ford Foundation, WIPO, and the European Commission—on revenue management and enterprise development. He currently serves on Nigeria’s Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms.
Thought Leadership & Publications
Scholarship & Thought:
Authored several books, peer‑reviewed journal articles, case studies, and book chapters on entrepreneurship, management, and economics. He has over 5,000 citations to his academic works.
Advocacy & Policy Influence:
Recently advocated a public-private partnership (enterprise) model to address chronic funding and governance challenges in Nigerian public universities—proposing that top private companies adopt universities under PPP arrangements to achieve self-sufficiency within ten years.
Notable Recognition:
Recipient of the MIT Global Start-Up Workshop’s African Scholar in Entrepreneurship Education (2013) and completed executive leadership training at Harvard Business School.
Philanthropy & Impact Initiatives
Foundational Leadership:
Founder and CEO of Fifty‑fifty Institute Limited, an enterprise-focused organization promoting entrepreneurship, job creation, and value creation in Nigeria. He is also founder of the Muritala Awodun Widows and Orphans Foundation (MAWOF), supporting widows and sponsoring education for orphans.
In Summary
Professor Muritala Awodun is a distinguished academic and reform-driven leader with a track record spanning institutional entrepreneurship, public sector innovation, and impactful scholarship. His transformative leadership at KW‑IRS, strong academic foundations, and advocacy for innovative university governance models exemplify his role as a changemaker in Nigeria’s economic and educational landscape.
