Michael Olubusayo Oluwagbemi, FMVR

Michael O. Oluwagbemi is the founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vertmance Group. A Nigerian engineer, entrepreneur and energy executive, he brings experience in project delivery, business development and investment. He also serves as Program Director and Chief Executive of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative.

Born on September 21, 1984, in Ekiti State, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Prairie View A&M University, a Master’s degree from the University of Houston, and an MBA in International Management from the University of London.

He began his career at ExxonMobil as a Project Engineer and later worked with WorleyParsons as a Project Manager. He went on to serve as Vice President of Business Development at Amazon Energy Group before co-founding LoftyInc Allied Partners, LoftyInc Capital Management, and Wennovation Hub—key platforms supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and venture capital in Africa.

In 2022, he served on the Governing Board of Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA), contributing to national energy development. He was subsequently appointed to lead the Presidential CNG Initiative, where he drives the expansion of clean, cost-effective energy solutions for Nigeria’s transport sector, including large-scale vehicle conversion programs and infrastructure rollout. His work has played a significant role in advancing Nigeria’s energy transition, earning him recognition such as the 2025 Energy and Sustainability Leadership Award. He is also noted as an honoree of multiple awards. In 2012, Oluwagbemi generated a 5.7× cash return for investors through an exit from his companies into Flutterwave.