Peace Bello

Bello Peace Olalekan's foundations are rooted in the value of education, instilled by his missionary parents. Despite the challenge of traveling long distances to school every day, his early dedication laid the groundwork for academic achievements. A passion for mathematics flourished, consistently placing him among the top students during his primary and secondary school years at The International School, University of Ibadan. His curiosity about the practical applications of what he learned led him to choose Chemical Engineering over Neurosurgery, wanting to develop processes and products that address societal issues. 

At university, Olalekan's enthusiasm propelled him into various student communities like the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and the Data Science Network (DSN) where he led Hackathon competition teams and organized webinars with industry professionals.  Participating in international climate-related committees and events fed his desire to find solutions to environmental challenges. His academic accolades include being the best graduating student of his department at Obafemi Awolowo University, with a CGPA of 4.82/5.00 and achievements include winning the Lever Brothers Prize, the MTN Foundation Scholarship, and leading his department to first place in the AIChE ChemESport Petroskills Simulation Competition. 

As the Academic Secretary of his fellowship, he organized tutorials and mentorship programs, significantly improving his peers' academic performance, while his passion for clean energy saw him mentor over 100 students to initiate clean energy projects. He has also spoken at climate and energy conferences to promote sustainable practices. 

In 2021, Olalekan led his team, Chemotronix, in an AI for Energy hackathon, developing a solution for real-time emission monitoring, which gained attention from energy firms and government. His startup's success led to involvement in the IRENA NewGen Energy and New Energy Nexus Accelerator Programs. In May 2023, he spoke at the Sustainable Boston Summit Hackathon, contributing to a $250 million commitment by the UAE government to purchase quality carbon credits from the African market. Chemotronix has been at the forefront of carbon market innovation in Africa, developing a digital monitoring, reporting, and verification platform for emissions. Their solution integrates IoT devices, blockchain, and AI to aid organizations in forecasting and improving emission policies, while their solar Agri-photovoltaic project aims to transform energy and agriculture in rural communities. 

But his journey has not been an easy run, as early in his university career, he faced academic challenges and serious health issues, including two surgeries. However, his perseverance saw him go on to win scholarships and excel in his studies. His final year project on hydrogen production earned industry acclaim, and his paper on digitalization in decarbonizing the oil and gas industry was also well-received. 

Globally, Olalekan has been involved in committees like the Planet Positive 2030 Committees and the UN SDG7 Youth Constituency, providing a Nigerian and African perspective on sustainability, and participated in the United Nations Economic and Social Committee Youth Forum, collaborating on solutions for sustainable development goals.