NEH honors Misbaudeen Yusuff for advancing inclusive growth through digital enterprise

Oftentimes, impact is perceived as a distant ideal; measured in goodwill, charity, or vague intentions. But for Misbaudeen Yusuff, it’s something far more tangible: the ability to build systems that empower people to participate, earn, and thrive. At this year’s National Entrepreneurship Honors (NEH), he was named Social Impact Entrepreneur of the Year, recognized for transforming how technology, strategy, and local context intersect to drive meaningful change.

Rather, he uses digital infrastructure to covertly eliminate obstacles that have long kept people from opportunities, working with the accuracy of a systems builder. His goal is always to provide access that endures, whether he is creating initiatives that increase digital engagement or tools that assist small businesses in navigating growth.

Dr. Chuka Ezeani, Director-General of the National Entrepreneurship Research Institute and a member of the NEH judging panel, captured this duality well: “Misbaudeen is not running an intervention, he’s engineering alternatives. His work is building infrastructure for inclusion, especially in places where traditional systems have failed.”

This clarity of purpose stood out in NEH’s highly selective review process, which involved ecosystem experts, social innovation scholars, and business leaders. He was commended for his ability to translate high-level strategy into real, scalable solutions, especially for communities often overlooked by the traditional enterprise system.

He focuses on functionality, behavior, and long-term relevance, creating frameworks that help everyday people do more with what they already have. Through subtle but strategic digital design, he’s helping shift the trajectory for hundreds of entrepreneurs, freelancers, and micro-businesses across Nigeria.

At the award ceremony, attended by civic leaders, development actors, and private sector executives, his work was described as “quietly radical.” Not because it disrupts with noise, but because it recalibrates what impact can look like when it’s built with clarity, scale, and intent.

By awarding him the Social Impact Entrepreneur of the Year award, NEH is highlighting more than just one founder and pointing to a movement in the direction of a more pragmatic, infrastructure-focused approach to social impact.