Hammed Kayode Alabi honoured with Being Edinburgh Award
Education pioneer and social entrepreneur Hammed Kayode Alabi has been named as the recipient of the University of Edinburgh’s ‘Being Edinburgh’ Alumni Award 2025.
Being Edinburgh Alumni Award winner Hammed Kayode Alabi.
The award is an annual honour celebrating a member of the University’s alumni community who brings the University’s values to life through their contributions to public life and impact on the world.
The honour, which is nominated and voted for by students, staff, and alumni, recognises individuals who embody the spirit of the University in meaningful and inspiring ways, and was awarded to Hammed in recognition of his transformative contributions to education, youth empowerment and social innovation.
Hammed was presented with the award by Vice-Principal Professor Sarah Prescott, Head of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, at a graduation ceremony in McEwan Hall on 10 July, with a laureation address from Chris Cox, Vice-Principal of Advancement and Philanthropy.
I feel a great deal of gratitude. Moments like this – when your peers and community recognise your efforts – remind you that purpose is always greater than any obstacles. This award recognises a vow I made when I graduated - to keep creating for underserved young people. This isn’t just for me, it is for my community. It is for young people whose circumstances are defined at birth – to show them they can still dream.
Hammed Kayode Alabi
Being Edinburgh Award winner
Hammed Kayode Alabi gives his acceptance address after receiving the Being Edinburgh Alumni Award.
Pioneering Educator
A 2021 graduate of the University’s MSc in Africa & International Development programme, Nigerian-born Hammed is a pioneering leader in educational technology, a social entrepreneur and TEDx speaker.
His own personal journey, which was marked by significant adversity and financial difficulty, has shaped his commitment to empowering young people through education across Africa and beyond.
Originally from Makoko, one of Africa’s largest floating slums in Lagos, Nigeria, Hammed was teaching in a local school, at just 15 years of age, driven by a need to create opportunity in his home community.
In 2017, he founded the Kayode Alabi Leadership and Career Initiative (KLCI), a not-for-profit social enterprise that equips young people with leadership, employability, and life skills.
With over 200 volunteers across 14 Nigerian states, KLCI has supported more than 10,000 young people to date. Through its Teachers-in-Training Fellowship, the initiative also supports 70 student-teachers in Nigeria with technology-enabled, modern pedagogical training.
At Edinburgh, we speak often about global impact, of service to others, and of using knowledge for the common good. Hammed embodies these values - compassionate, committed, globally minded, and always learning. His journey is one of resilience, generosity and purpose. It is also a powerful reminder that change begins with courageous individuals who dare to act.
Chris Cox
Vice-Principal of Advancement and Philanthropy
Hammed Kayode Alabi receives the Being Edinburgh Alumni Award from Vice-Principal of Advancement and Philanthropy, Chris Cox.
International Impact
Hammed’s impact is global. He currently serves on the board of Peace First, a non-profit working with changemakers in over 150 countries, and has authored three books and over 190 articles on personal and global development. In 2022, he addressed over 100 education ministers at the UNESCO Transforming Education Summit in Paris, advocating for a revolution in 21st-century education.
Most recently, Hammed founded Skill2Rural.Org, an EdTech startup that has reached more than 415 users and indirectly impacted 128,000 young people in its first eight months. He also launched Rafiki AI, Africa’s first generative AI career advisor tailored for underserved and displaced youth, already serving over 2,000 users across 44 countries.
Hammed delivers much of this work outside of his day job, as the Transitions Coordinator for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme at the University of Edinburgh, supporting African Scholars as they move into graduate careers and leading alumni engagement.
His outstanding work has earned him prestigious accolades worldwide, including the US Consul General Award and recognition as Africa Talent of the Future.
This award celebrates the very essence of what it means to be a part of our University community and Hammed’s achievements have truly captured that spirit. He has not only excelled in his academic pursuits but has embraced a wider mission to make a meaningful impact on the world around us. Through dedication to social progress, Hammed’s ability to foster a sense of community and his passion for continuous learning have inspired and supported many thousands of young people in their education and careers in Africa.
Professor John Devaney
Head of the School of Social and Political Science
Sixteen honorary degrees and other honours, including the ‘Being Edinburgh’ Award, will be conferred during graduation ceremonies in July.
The University awards honorary degrees and awards for outstanding contributions to society to recipients in recognition of in achievements in a diverse range of fields, this year including literature, music, athletics, education, climatology, medicine, veterinary studies, social empowerment, and sustainability.
Honorary graduates include writer and broadcaster Val McDermid, former Great Britain athlete and UK national triple jump coach Aston Moore, and the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), Dr Christine Middlemiss.
The University’s summer graduations are currently taking place and run until Tuesday 15 July. All ceremonies are streamed live on our graduation website. The live broadcast is available approximately ten minutes before each graduation ceremony begins.
