Folasade Agboola

Nigerian entrepreneur driving clean energy innovation through BridgitPRO, empowering rural communities with sustainable solutions

Folasade Agboola is a visionary entrepreneur whose work through BridgitPRO has revolutionized access to clean energy in sub-Saharan Africa. Launched in 2015, her company developed the world's first IoT-enabled solar water pumps that connect smallholder farmers to mobile money platforms. This groundbreaking integration allows farmers to pay for irrigation water using mobile payments, dramatically improving crop yields while reducing deforestation from traditional diesel pumps. By 2023, BridgitPRO had deployed over 10,000 solar systems across Nigeria and Kenya, directly benefiting 500,000 farmers.

Agboola's approach combines cutting-edge technology with deep local understanding. Her team developed the SolarPay system that uses blockchain for transparent energy transactions. This innovation was recognized by MIT Solve in 2020, earning her a place among the Global Thinkers of 2021 by Foreign Policy magazine. Her TED Talk "How we can use tech to end energy poverty" has been viewed over 2 million times.

Her most impactful project is the Rural Electrification Accelerator, which partners with governments to provide solar microgrids to off-grid communities. By 2025, this initiative aims to provide electricity to 1 million households, reducing carbon emissions by 500,000 tons annually. Agboola's work has inspired a new generation of African female engineers through her mentorship program TechGirls Nigeria, training over 3,000 young women in renewable energy technologies.