# Babawande Afolabi

> Babawande Afolabi is the Nigerian founder and chief executive of Green Africa, a Lagos-based value airline. Born in Ibadan and raised in Ile-Ife, he studied business administration and economics at Illinois Wesleyan University, earned an MBA at Stanford, and learned finance and airline strategy at Morgan Stanley and American Airlines before founding Green Africa in 2015. Six years of fundraising, certification work, aircraft changes and a pandemic preceded the carrier's first commercial flight in August 2021. In 2025 and 2026, after a temporary operating pause, Green Africa moved from leasing toward aircraft ownership with two Access Bank-backed ATR acquisitions.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Green Africa
- **Organizations:** Green Africa, Green White Group, American Airlines, Morgan Stanley, Future 100
- **From:** Ibadan, Nigeria
- **Nationality:** Nigerian
- **Education:** Bachelor's degree, double major in business administration and economics, Illinois Wesleyan University, Master of Business Administration, Stanford Graduate School of Business
- **Known for:** Founded a Nigerian value airline and led it through certification to commercial operations in 2021., Became the first international student elected president of Illinois Wesleyan University's Student Senate., Built a board and investor network that included experienced aviation and investment leaders.

## Career timeline

- **2006** — Moved from Nigeria to Illinois Wesleyan University; a financial-aid shortfall nearly ended his studies during his first week.
- **2008** — Won a selective internship opportunity at Morgan Stanley through Sponsors for Educational Opportunity.
- **2010** — Graduated from Illinois Wesleyan after becoming its first international student to serve as Student Senate president; joined Morgan Stanley full time.
- **2012-2014** — Earned an MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business and pursued airline-industry experience, including corporate strategy work at American Airlines.
- **2013** — Launched the Green White Group as a platform for exploring a Nigerian value-airline concept.
- **2015** — Founded Green Africa Airways.
- **2018** — Green Africa announced a commitment for up to 100 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft; the plan was later overtaken by the type's global grounding.
- **2020** — Green Africa signed an Airbus memorandum of understanding for 50 A220-300 aircraft.
- **2021** — Green Africa received its Air Operator Certificate and began commercial service on August 12 with a Lagos-Abuja flight.
- **2022** — Green Africa announced a long-term aviation workforce training initiative covering pilots, engineers, cabin crew and other professionals.
- **2025** — After a temporary operational interruption, Green Africa announced its first owned aircraft, an ATR 72-500 partly financed by Access Bank.
- **2026** — Green Africa announced a second owned aircraft, an ATR 72-600, again partly financed through a naira-denominated Access Bank facility.

## Achievements

- Founded a Nigerian value airline and led it through certification to commercial operations in 2021.
- Became the first international student elected president of Illinois Wesleyan University's Student Senate.
- Built a board and investor network that included experienced aviation and investment leaders.
- Led Green Africa's transition toward aircraft ownership with acquisitions announced in 2025 and 2026.
- Launched an initiative intended to expand Nigeria's pipeline of trained aviation professionals.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Green Africa was advertising resumed Lagos-Ilorin service and continued operating a Nigerian domestic network.
- **2026-02** — Green Africa announced its second owned aircraft, ATR 72-600 registration 5N-GAC, partly financed by Access Bank and awaiting customary regulatory approvals.
- **2025-12** — Green Africa appointed Captain Bart Roberts as chief operating officer.
- **2025-04** — Green Africa announced its first owned aircraft, ATR 72-500 registration 5N-GAB, after a temporary pause connected to its prior leasing arrangement.

## Links

- Website: https://greenafrica.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/babawande-afolabi-87b46919
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/greenafrica
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenafrica__/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/greenafricaairways/

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/babawande-afolabi
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-27