Soji Megbowon is not just a schoolteacher, but a multiple awards winner and a passionate advocate for inclusive education both in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, innovation, and social entrepreneurship. Megbowon co-founded Teenpreneurs Educational Foundation (TEF), because of technology gaps in his public school and many other schools in his community. The lack of access to digital literacy skills and access to opportunities faced by many public schools’ students in his community. He established TEF with the support of his wife, Esther the non-profit organisation they both started in their sitting room.

They, alongside Adewale Oseni, do this by setting up community centric Innovation hub, Community Innovation Hub (CIH), in rural and underserved communities, that trains and empower out-of-school teenagers from the rural communities with digital literacy skills and other life skills to become tech developers and problem solvers, offering skills around STEM education, leadership, soft skills and entrepreneurship to raise and transformational leaders out of them.

As the national convener of STEM club in most public schools and across many states in Nigeria, a flagship project designed to identify, select and empower school children who are from underserved backgrounds, his students and school have won over 150 awards in and outside Nigeria, and they have represented Lagos state and Nigeria at local and international competitions. Today many of his students and his mentees belong to some notable global fellowship programmes such as Ubuntu/UNESCO Leaders Academy, MasterCard foundation scholar, Girls Effect Youths Advisory panel, Rise Global (1M US dollar educational scholarship in the United States) MTN meets the Genius, Ashoka global change-maker, World Bank education ambassador, Stockholm junior water prize fellows just to mention a few.

Megbowon was recently selected as a lead researcher and a regional lead for Nigeria under the British Council-Innovation for African Universities project (IAU) and Community of Practice (CoP). A tripartite project for African Universities and entrepreneurship ecosystem to collaborate with some of the top United Kingdom universities through a community of practice to support Innovation and entrepreneurship across African universities in a bid to solve unemployment crises in the region.

Among the awards won by Megbowon includes Global teacher prize finalist, Lagos State Best Secondary School Teacher, Bowseat MIT Innovative educator award, Cambridge/HP edtech fellows, Limitless global educator fellows, SDG advocate gold award winner, Maltina Teacher of the Year, inspirational teacher of the Year and Soji is Microsoft innovative educator expert fellow. In this interview he spoke about his drive for change, impacting young people with future skills.

What inspired you to start this organisation?
Growing up in an underserved community and attending public schools, I experienced firsthand the challenges of accessing quality education. Despite seeing talented peers with great potential, many dropped out because of poverty, lack of support systems, or limited access to opportunities. And now as a public-school educator, I encountered the same story daily, seeing brilliant students whose dreams ended prematurely because of financial hardship or systemic barriers. I realised something had to be done to bridge this gap. After sharing my vision with my wife, we both committed ourselves to building a solution. We started by seeking mentorship and training in Lagos to develop our capacity, and eventually launched Teenpreneurs Hub, which began right from our sitting room, we then officially registered a Non-profit Teenpreneurs Educational Foundation. Our journey began with a mission to give wings to children of nobody and create pathways for them to become innovators, leaders, and change-makers.

What are the primary issues or problems your NGO addresses?
We are addressing Nigeria’s urgent crisis of out-of-school youth, where over 20 million children and teenagers are excluded from education, which is 12.4 percent of the global out-of-school population. Tackling the impeding barriers against the United Nations sustainable development goals, poverty, systemic constraints, and lack of access to quality learning opportunities leave millions without viable educational or career pathways. Consequently, many fall into informal labour with low income and no growth opportunities. High-risk social vices, including Internet fraud, local terrorism, and criminal exploitation. This vicious cycle perpetuates poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Our work directly tackles this by bridging the education and digital divide, equipping youth with 21st-century skills in STEM, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and innovation, to empower them for productive futures.

What impacts has Community Innovation Hub made?
We have provided over 500 full and partial coding scholarships to out-of-school children and teenagers in Lagos. We have supported more than 10 tech natives to secure international scholarships worth over $2 million, including awards from Rise Global, MasterCard Foundation, and Take Action Lab. Two students won the global Rise Challenge, gaining lifetime educational support. Over 15 youth have received local and international fellowships valued at $100,000 collectively. Our young innovators have attracted over $50,000 in funding for their projects. Tech natives have pitched ideas directly to global leaders including Bill Gates, former U.S. Secretary of Statem, Antony Blinken, and leaders on Nigeria. More than 5,000 students have been trained since inception, building technical skills, leadership, and community impact.

How do you measure the impact of your work?
We measure impact through both quantitative and qualitative indicators. Over 5,000 students trained since inception, including 3,000 in Alimosho within three years. Over 500 scholarships awarded, over $2 million have been secured in international scholarships, and over $50,000 raised for youth innovations. Recognition: Youth pitching to world leaders and winning fellowships/competitions. Sustainability impact: Innovations addressing more than 10 SDGs and directly improving community life. Personal transformation: Stories of out-of-school or at-risk youth becoming innovators, leaders, and role models.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the organisation?
For us, the number of out-of-school teenagers enrolled and trained in digital, STEM, and entrepreneurial skills through our community centres and school-based coding programmes (SBP). The number of international and local opportunities (scholarships, fellowships, funding) accessed by beneficiaries and the number of youth-led innovations addressing community or global challenges. These are our success stories of beneficiaries reinvesting their skills and leadership into their communities.

What are the main challenges you are currently facing?
Limited space: Our centers cannot accommodate all qualified candidates. Volunteer shortage: Lack of consistent skilled professionals willing to mentor and train youth. Funding constraints: Insufficient resources to expand programmes to more rural and underserved communities across Nigeria.

What level of support do you get from the community?
Initially, our community was skeptical, but over time, parents and local stakeholders have become strong supporters of our mission. A key turning point was when a community member who is a medical doctor living abroad, offered his apartment at a discounted rate for our first centre. That transition from our living room to a visible hub gave us credibility and attracted partnerships, including support from the Tony Elumelu Foundation, The Lagos State Government through Lagos State Science, Research and innovation Council (LASRIC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and private organisation such as Microsoft, Hp, British Council, which later enabled us to open a second centre in Shagari Centre. Today, parents, leaders, and organisations in our host communities actively support and champion our work.

What’s your vision for the NGO in the next 5 to 10 years?
In five years, to transition into a certified technical and innovation college that can admit and train 5,000 youth yearly, awarding industry-recognised certifications and building Africa’s next wave of tech talents. In ten years, to become Africa’s leading flagship innovation and technical college, training thousands yearly while nurturing innovators, developers, and social entrepreneurs. We aim to position Africa as a global hub for technology and innovation by creating a pipeline of highly skilled and impact-driven youth.

What is your plan for ensuring long-term sustainability and funding?
Diversified funding sources: Combining grants, corporate sponsorships, CSR partnerships, and individual donor contributions. Social enterprise model: Running income generating model and building an income-generating projects within the hubs, such as tech services, provision of innovation labs, and youth-led micro-enterprises. Alumni network: Engaging our successful beneficiaries to reinvest time, mentorship, and resources into the foundation. Endowment fund: Establishing a long-term fund to ensure program continuity regardless of external shocks.

What do you think people would be most surprised to learn about you?
Many people are surprised to learn that our foundation started from our living room with zero funding, only passion and determination until Tony Elumelu Foundation came to our rescue. What began as a vision shared between my wife and I have grown into a movement that has impacted thousands of young lives across Nigeria.

How do you handle stress and the pressure of leading an organisation?
I manage stress by now running the innovation hub and other youths development project under the non-profit organisation with like-minded and passionate young people, especially those giving to me through the Tony Elumelu foundation, where we now align our interest in scaling up this project, which now give us access to expand opportunities to more young out-of-school young people across many rural communities, I also do this by staying anchored in my purpose and faith, which reminds me why this work matters. I also prioritise building a supportive team and delegating responsibilities effectively. Reflection, prayer, and mentorship provide us balance, while celebrating small wins keeps us motivated even in challenging times.

What is your approach to teamwork and collaboration?
My approach to teamwork and collaboration is rooted in working with like-minded and passionate young people who share the vision of empowering underserved communities. Through platforms such as the Tony Elumelu Foundation, I have been able to connect with peers who bring diverse skills and perspectives, and together we align our interests toward scaling impactful projects. I believe in creating an environment where every team member feels valued and supported, while responsibilities are shared effectively to maximise our strengths. Collaboration for me is not just about achieving results, it’s about building trust, learning from one another, and expanding opportunities for more out-of-school youth across rural communities. By fostering open communication, mutual respect, and collective ownership of our mission, we are able to innovate and sustain long-term impact.

What’s your life mantra?
Turning obstacles into opportunities and giving wings to the dreams of the underserved. This guiding principle keeps me focused on transforming challenges into platforms for impact and hope.