Wale Lawal is the founder of The Republic, a digital media startup that produces Africa-focused journalism and digital media solutions. He is also the editor-in-chief of The Republic’s award-winning magazine covering the ideas, trends, people and stories shaping Nigeria and the broader African continent.
Previously, Wale led research at Harvard Business School’s Africa Research Center, producing research on companies and business environments across sub-Saharan Africa as well as case studies taught at HBS and business schools around the world. Wale is also an ex-KPMG management consultant and he graduated top of his class from the University of Oxford, where his research covered economic uncertainty and tech startups in Nigeria.
In 2019, Wale was selected by Quartz as one of Africa’s top 30 innovators. In 2021, he was selected by Reuters as a global thought leader and by Forbes as one of Africa’s 30 Under 30. Wale has published short fiction and has exhibited artwork at several venues including the Venice Biennale. Wale has also written the Future Yoruba exhibit for the forthcoming John Randle Center for Yoruba Culture and History.