You may know Item7Go, the food brand that has grown from a small university food business into a restaurant chain with more than 45 outlets across Nigeria. But do you know the man behind the brand?
His name is Ibigbemi Oloruntobi, the founder and CEO of Item7Go. While his name may not immediately ring a bell, the business he built has become familiar to many Nigerians, serving affordable and filling meals across different locations.
There is more to the story behind the brand than the meals served at its outlets. This is the story of Ibigbemi Oloruntobi and how a business that started around a university campus grew into something much bigger.
Where Ibigbemi Oloruntobi’s Item7Go Story Began
The story of Item7Go goes back to the University of Ilorin, where Ibigbemi Oloruntobi studied Physics and graduated in 2011.
While he was an undergraduate, Oloruntobi noticed a problem that stayed with him: there were not enough places around the university where students could relax after classes. According to him, it was an issue he experienced himself as a student, and he had already made up his mind that someday, he would do something about it.
That “someday” came after graduation.
In 2012, Oloruntobi started a small food business near the university gate. It was a simple beginning, serving students who wanted affordable meals. That was the beginning of Item7Go.
What started around the university would soon grow beyond the campus and into a much bigger business.
The Idea That Helped Ibigbemi Oloruntobi Grow Item7Go
At first, the food business was mainly focused on university students. While this worked during the school session, it also came with a challenge: business would slow down whenever students went on holiday, especially during the long holidays.
With fewer students around the university, there were fewer customers. Ibigbemi Oloruntobi realised that relying entirely on the student population could limit how far the business could grow.
He began looking for a way to make the business serve more than just students. This led to a change in the way he approached the business, gradually turning it from a small food business around the university into a restaurant that could attract a wider range of customers.
That idea became an important turning point for Item7Go. It gave the business room to grow beyond the university community and, eventually, beyond Ilorin.
Ibigbemi Oloruntobi Takes Item7Go Beyond Ilorin
As the business continued to grow, Ibigbemi Oloruntobi began taking Item7Go beyond its original base in Ilorin. What had started around the University of Ilorin was gradually becoming a brand that could serve customers in other cities.
Item7Go expanded into Ibadan and Lagos, giving the business a presence outside Kwara State. The expansion continued, and in September 2026, the brand opened its first Abuja outlet in Mabushi.
The Abuja opening on September 24, 2026, marked another step in Oloruntobi’s effort to take Item7Go to more parts of Nigeria.
By October 2026, Item7Go had grown to more than 45 outlets across the country.
From a small food business near a university gate, Ibigbemi Oloruntobi had built a growing restaurant brand that was no longer limited to the community where it began.
Ibigbemi Oloruntobi Gives Back to Where It All Began
For Ibigbemi Oloruntobi, the University of Ilorin is more than just the place where he studied Physics. It is also where the idea that became Item7Go began.
As the business grew, he began giving back to the university and the community where his journey started. In 2023, the University of Ilorin handed over an Item7Go building to Oloruntobi, further expanding the brand’s presence on the campus.
Item7Go has also supported the university’s security efforts. In October 2025, the company donated three motorcycles to the University of Ilorin to assist with campus security. This was not the company’s first contribution of its kind, as Item7Go had previously donated two motorcycles to the university.
From a small food business around the university to a brand with more than 45 outlets across Nigeria, Oloruntobi’s journey has taken Item7Go far beyond where it began. Yet, his connection to the University of Ilorin remains part of the story.
For Oloruntobi, the journey is not just about how far Item7Go has grown, but also about remembering the place where it all started and finding ways to give back.
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