Hakeem Oloruntoyin Subair is the founder and CEO of 1 Million Teachers (1MT) and 1MT Village, a community development initiative grounded in education, enterprise, and human responsibility.
Through 1 Million Teachers, he has helped train over 120,000 teachers across 21 countries, guided by the belief that strong classrooms build strong nations and that the dignity of teachers is essential to sustainable development.
Hakeem holds a Master’s degree in Management Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Queen’s University, Canada, where he also earned a Certificate in Social Impact. He obtained a Bachelor of Commerce in Strategy and Entrepreneurship from the University of Windsor and a Bachelor of Finance from the University of Ilorin, and is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.
He has served as a mentor and coach in the Master’s of Entrepreneurship and Innovation program at the Smith School of Business, Queen’s University, and is a regular guest speaker in the Strategy for a Social Enterprise course, where 1 Million Teachers has been a case study since 2018.
Hakeem has also taught as an adjunct professor in Innovation and Change Management, Artificial Intelligence, and Entrepreneurship, grounding his teaching in real-world experience.
The Blackbelt Program, 1MT’s signature training model, guides teachers through progressive levels of mastery in pedagogy, curriculum design, classroom management, leadership, and innovation.
Building on this work, Hakeem launched 1MT Village, a 300+ acre self-sustaining community in Nigeria that integrates education, vocational training, agribusiness, hospitality, and social enterprise to model a new path for community development.
His work has received international recognition, including being named a Finalist for the 2024 Africa Education Medal, a 2025 AACSB Influential Leader, and recipient of the 2024 University of Windsor Alumni Award of Excellence.
Hakeem is also the author of Where the Light Is Bright and the trilogy Before the Future Breaks Us, which explores education, responsibility, and the future of civilization.
