Professor Wasiu A. Babalola is often considered a polymath with interests in hospitality and tourism management, operations, marketing, accounting, forensic accounting & audit, revenue management, international business, law, arbitration, AI, and corporate strategic management. Holding a PhD in Hospitality Management and another in Forensic Accounting & Audit, he is acknowledged for his joint expertise in both academic and professional lines.
Certified as an accreditor for Programme and Institutional Accreditation, Professor Babalola is a Professor of Hotel Management & Tourism. He is also a Visiting Professor at the Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management at private and public universities in Nigeria and outside the country. His academic journey includes degrees in Catering & Hotel Management, Hospitality & Tourism Management (BA, first class), Accounting (BSc), Law (first class at LLB & distinction at LLM), Business (MBA), Human Resources Management (MSc), Marketing, Corporate Strategic Management, Arbitration, and French; among others.
Notably, Professor Babalola holds the esteemed position of Senior Vice President for Africa at Continent Worldwide Hotels, being part of investment portfolios of 100+ hotels in 13 countries across 4 continents. Additionally, his roles as a Director & Trustee of the African Travel Commission and former Managing Director for West Africa at Swiss International Hotels & Resorts underscore his influential contributions to the hospitality and tourism industry across the continent.
Recognized for his outstanding achievements, Babalola has been inducted into the Top 100 Tourism Personalities in Nigeria for 2018, voted Nigeria Hotel Man of the Year 2021, and honored as West Africa Tourism & Hospitality Educator of the Year 2021. His leadership extends to serving as the President & Chairman of Council at the Institute of Hospitality Accountant & Revenue Managers; Immediate Past Regional Chairman at the Institute of Hospitality, UK (Nigeria), and the 2nd National Vice President of the Nigerian Hotel and Catering Institute (NHCI). He is a Rotarian and currently serving as an Assistant Governor in Rotary District 9111 Nigeria having served as the 36th President of the Rotary Club of Isolo, Nigeria, among others.