Professor Olubola Babalola obtained Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Quantity Surveying, Master of Science in Quantity Surveying and Doctor of Philosophy with specialization in Construction Management at the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife between the year 1987 and 2006. After graduation, she gained employment into the Department of Quantity Surveying of the same University as a Graduate Assistant in 1993 and rose to become a Professor in 2012.

During her study and career life, Professor Babalola has some unique records that placed her above her contemporaries:

• a) She was the only female student in her set and with the best graduating results;
• b) The first female Quantity Surveyor with a Doctoral degree in West Africa;
• c) The first female to become the Acting Head of the Department of Quantity Surveying in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife since its establishment;
• d) Two terms Vice Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Design and Management and;
• e) First female Professor of Quantity Surveying in Africa.
• f) She is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Design and Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife being the first female Dean and first from Quantity Surveying. Department in OAU to become the Dean of the Faculty.
• g) She is the Chairperson Committee of Deans (CCODs) at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife being the first female to occupy the position in OAU.

Before her present position, Professor Babalola had been the first female Chairperson of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Oyo State Chapter and the Assistant General Secretary of the Association of Professional bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Oyo State Branch. She was the Chairperson of the Women Association of Quantity Surveyors of Nigeria (WAQSN), Editor of “The Quantity Surveyor,” Journal of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors and a member of the Education and Research Committee of the African Association of Quantity Surveyors (AAQS).

She has been the Chairperson, Secretary and Member of various committees in and outside Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. She has also been and is still an external examiner in various higher institutions in and outside Nigeria such as Federal University of Technology, Akure; Imo State University; University of Lagos; Federal University of Technology, Minna; Federal Polytechnic Ede; The Polytechnic, Ibadan; Kwame Nkumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana; Nelson Mandela University, South Africa; Open University, Malaysia; and University of Nairobi, Kenya. Furthermore, she is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (FNIQS) a member of accreditation team of the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) and Quantity Surveyors Registration of Nigeria (QSRBN). She was a council member of The Polytechnic, Ibadan.

She has also been a member of Scientific Committee Panels for West Africa Built Environment Research Conference, Ghana; International Postgraduate Research Conference on Built Environment, Ghana; Built Environment Conference of the Association of Schools Construction of Southern Africa, South Africa; Construction Management Conference, South Africa and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Postgraduate Conference, South Africa. She is an editorial board member of International Journal of Project Planning and Finance, Ghana and advisory board member of the Journal of Construction Business and Management, South Africa. She is a reviewer for Springers Publisher, London; Journal of Engineering Design and Technology and Built Environment Project and Asset Management Journal.

Professor Babalola has received some awards to her credit, which include an award of Excellence for Development of Quantity Surveying Training in Nigerian Higher Institutions by the Women Association of Quantity Surveyors of Nigeria; an Outstanding Achievement Award by Great Ife Alumni Association, Home Branch; The President’s Award for Excellence by the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors; The Most Distinguished Ibadan Indigene by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes. She also received some research fellowships and grants which include the Carnegie of US Fellowship for Female academics on Ph.D. programme which she utilized at the University of Cape Town, South Africa; a research grant for the assessment of training of Quantity Surveying by the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria; Getty Foundation of USA Keeping it Modern grant; and LISA TEACH, USA grants. Professor Babalola is the pioneer Patroness of the National Association of Quantity Surveying Students, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Chapter and College of Technology, Esa-Oke Chapter.

Professor Babalola is a renowned scholar with cutting-edge innovative research in Quantity Surveying and Construction Management. She has successfully supervised fourteen (14) postgraduate students and examined about thirty (30) postgraduate students. She has attended and presented academic and professional papers in conferences, seminars and workshops in and outside Nigeria including Ghana, Malaysia, UAE, UK and Germany