By Juliet Umeh

Head of Marketing and Growth at Waza, Mr. Muyiwa Babarinde, has been named among Nigeria’s most promising young marketing leaders following his recognition in the 2025 Brandcom 35 Under 35 Awards.

The honour celebrates young professionals whose ideas and execution are redefining marketing and communications across Nigeria and West Africa. For Babarinde, it marks what he described as “a meaningful milestone” in a career spanning technology, fintech, enterprise software and consumer brands.

Babarinde, known for combining strategy with deep market insight, has been instrumental to Waza’s rapid expansion. He was part of the team that drove the company to a major milestone of processing more than one billion dollars in payments.
According to him, “Our goal at Waza has always been clear, to build the rails that power Africa’s trade. Seeing our work recognised at this level is both humbling and energising.”

His professional imprint cuts across some of Africa’s most influential brands. He contributed to the early rise of SeamlessHR, helped strengthen Facebook’s product presence across African markets while at Red Media Africa, supported Uber’s expansion in West Africa, and led strategic marketing initiatives for Alpha Mead Group across 12 African countries. Each role, he said, “taught me the power of storytelling backed by execution.”

Convener of the Brandcom Awards and Publisher of Brand Communicator, Mr. Joshua Ajayi, said Babarinde and other honorees represent the new face of the industry.
He said: “This year’s 35 Under 35 class reflects the ambition, creativity and discipline that are pushing Nigerian marketing forward.
“These young leaders are not just doing the work; they are setting new standards for the entire ecosystem.”

The Brandcom Under 35 category remains one of the most competitive youth-focused recognitions in Nigeria’s marketing space, with nearly 30,000 nominations received this year. The award spotlights professionals who demonstrate innovation, consistency and measurable business impact.

Reacting further, Babarinde described the recognition as a collective achievement. “Nothing I’ve done has been in isolation. I’ve been fortunate to work with incredible teams and partners,” he said.
“Marketing is at its best when it helps businesses grow and strengthens communities.”

Beyond corporate work, Babarinde has maintained a strong commitment to social impact through the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community in Lagos, where he once served as Curator. His 2024 blood donation campaign with the Lagos State Ministry of Health, he said, “reminded me that influence is only meaningful when it serves people.”

His career has earned several accolades, including the Young Lions PR Nigeria competition crown, two SABRE Awards, and a nomination for The Future Awards Africa Prize for Professional Service.

Other honorees in the 2025 cohort include Oyetola Akeredolu of Diageo, Damilare Akinpelu of Ogilvy Africa, Yewande Ade Alao of Seven Up Bottling Company, Olawande Meyungbo of Promasidor and Moninnuola Kassim of Peak under FrieslandCampina WAMCO.