The Initiative, held to commemorate World Youth Skills Day 2026, themed “Skills for a Shared Future – The NextGen Advantage,” presented a platform on which experienced Airtel professionals provided mentorship and coaching to undergraduates, interns, and recent graduates for the current realities of formal work environments.

Organised on the auspices of the Airtel Employee Volunteer Programme (EVP), by which staff donate their time and expertise towards social programmes, the 90-minute virtual masterclass, which was attended by over 400 undergraduates and young professionals, extended the reach of the Foundation’s education and youth development programmes.

Speaking on the initiative, Dinesh Balsingh, chief executive officer of Airtel Nigeria, said investing in young people remains one of the most impactful ways to build Nigeria’s future economy.

He said,

“The future of work is changing faster than ever before, and success will increasingly belong to those who are equipped with the right skills, the right mindset, and the confidence to adapt. As an organisation, we believe that empowering young people with practical digital and professional capabilities is an investment in Nigeria’s future competitiveness. Through our Employee Volunteer Programme, our people are sharing not just knowledge, but real industry experience to help shape careers, unlock opportunities, and prepare the next generation to lead in a digital world.”

Unlike traditional career seminars, the masterclass adopted an interactive learning model that offered participants the option to select specialised breakout sessions aligned with personal interests and career aspirations.

In his keynote remarks titled The Next Gen Advantage, Femi Adeniran, director, Corporate Communications and CSR, Airtel Nigeria, noted that the future will be shaped by the skills to transform great ideas into impactful solutions.

He summed up the pathway to a future-ready career into five actions, namely learning continuously, solving problems, building a digital reputation, embracing Artificial Intelligence, and developing human skills.

“Technical knowledge remains important, but employers today are equally looking for adaptability, collaboration, communication, digital confidence, and the ability to learn continuously,” he said.

In the first general session titled Your Network is Your Net Worth, Adebimpe Ayo-Elias, director, Human Resources and Administration, Airtel Nigeria, charged attendees to build character. The second general session themed Your Money, Your Future, delivered tips on budgeting and financial discipline was facilitated by Olakunbi Osigbesan, Head, Treasure, Smartcash PSB.

Following the general sessions were five breakout rooms, in which attendees were offered curated guides designed to develop contemporary workplace competencies.

The first session, Digital Transformation and Growth, led by Oyebowale Akideinde, general manager, Digital and Innovation, Airtel Nigeria, presented a mechanism to leverage digital platforms for visibility and opportunity creation.

The CV Clinic and Interview Masterclass, which was led by Chidera Okoye, HR Outsourcing Lead, Airtel Nigeria, discussed practical recruitment strategies, including applicant tracking system (ATS)-friendly CVs, and the STAR interview framework.

A third session on Communication and Personal Branding, delivered by Sam Adeoye, Head, Public Relations, Airtel Nigeria, focused on value presentation, executive communication, and earned visibility, built on “V.I.R.A.L.”, a mnemonic device created for the attendees by the facilitator.

The programme also featured a dedicated session titled AI as Your Superpower, presented by Ezenwa Agbanusi, IT Governance executive at Airtel Nigeria, in which participants discussed prompt engineering and AI-powered tools for enhanced learning, creativity, and workplace performance.

Corporate Social Responsibility Lead at Airtel Nigeria, Victoria Ndu, led the fifth breakout room on Emotional Intelligence, with a guide on building a high emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) for improved workplace and business performance.

By connecting future professionals directly with industry experts, the company continues to support the development of a workforce equipped to participate meaningfully in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital economy and contribute to shared prosperity.

The post Airtel Trains Young Nigerians in Job-Ready Digital Skills appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The award ceremony, held recently at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, celebrated the achievements of outstanding HR professionals across Nigeria who have contributed significantly to organizational success and workplace culture.

Speaking on the recognition, Carl Cruz, CEO of Airtel Nigeria, expressed immense pride in Ayo-Elias’s achievement, describing it as a milestone not only for her but also for the company.

“Adebimpe’s impact, dedication, and leadership extend well beyond Airtel, and this award is a well-deserved recognition of her influence in the HR field. We are incredibly proud of her accomplishments and look forward to her continued contributions to the industry,” he said.

Receiving the award, Adebimpe expressed gratitude for the honour, reiterating her commitment to advancing world-class HR practices within her organisation.

 “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute positively to the lives of those we serve within and beyond the organization. Airtel Nigeria creates an environment that nurtures growth, encourages innovation, and prioritizes the well-being of every employee and as such, this award motivates me to continue championing these values,” she said.

This award reaffirms Airtel Nigeria’s commitment to developing and empowering talent, further establishing the company as a leading force in creating an impactful, forward-thinking workplace.

The post Airtel HR Director Adebimpe Ayo-Elias Honoured as HR Leader of the Year appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

In her new role, Ms. Ay0-Elias will be responsible for driving Airtel Nigeria’s people agenda with keen focus on ensuring an inspired, happy, and highly engaged workforce.

Prior to this elevation, Ms. Adebimpe Ayo-Elias held the position of Head, HR Business Partnering and she brings on board 25+ years cognate experience garnered across several industries including telecommunications, software and fintech, and human resource consulting. 

Commenting on the occasion, Surendran Chemmenkotil, the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, said Airtel is committed to growing and empowering its internal talent pool as well as reinforcing its drive towards gender diversity, at every level starting with leadership.

“At Airtel, our employees are our competitive advantage, and we are committed to creating opportunities for all our talented people to succeed, grow, achieve their full potentials and fulfil their personal and professional aspirations.

“Adebimpe Ayo-Elias has proven to be a transformational leader who is passionate about people, and we are very confident that she will deliver on our people agenda as we position as employer of first choice for talented Nigerians,” he said.

Ms. Ayo Elias is an alumnus of Cranfield University – UK and UPGRAD-University of Cambridge. She is a Fellow, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (FCIPM).

She has worked meritoriously in several organisations, namely: Human Edge (an indigenous HR consulting company); MTN Nigeria; Alcatel-Lucent Nigeria & Ghana, NOKIA Nigeria, and SystemSpecs.

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