Hamzat Lawal is an activist who has successfully led grassroots campaigns in over 40 African countries with over 15 years experience in the non-profit sector and specializes in practical issues associated with Climate Change, Open Data, advocacy campaigns and development policies as it affects rural and deprived grassroots communities.

He is also the Founder of Follow The Money, the largest Pan-African grassroots data-driven movement and leads a team of technology and innovation-driven campaigners to amplify the voices of marginalized grassroots communities in promoting accountability as it affects utilization of public funds focusing on specific communities across Africa. His Follow The Money initiative emerged winner of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Mobilizer 2019 Award, at the Bonn SDG Global Festival of Action, Germany.

He is currently the Chief Executive of Connected Development (CODE),  under his leadership in 2017, CODE won the ONE Africa Award which recognizes, rewards, and advances the exceptional work of Africa based organisations; dedicated to helping the continent achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Also, CODE won The Council of Europe Democracy Innovation Award which recognizes Follow The Money as one of the leading ground- breaking initiatives in the world that are promoting democratic principles.

Hamzat was recently appointed on Beyoncé’s BeyGood Global Citizen Fellowship as an Advisory Board Member. He was also recognized amongst the 100 most influential Africans in 2019, joining the ranks of Amina J Mohammed, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Aliko Dangote. In 2018 & 2019, he was listed as one of the world’s 100 most influential people in digital government by Apolitical. He is currently leading a global education campaign to accelerate girl’s’ education and ending girl-child marriages starting with the Northeast in Nigeria as a Malala Fund Education Champion.