Abayomi Susan
Airtel Africa Foundation, through Airtel Nigeria, has reaffirmed its commitment to preparing Nigeria’s future workforce with a comprehensive virtual employability masterclass designed to equip young people with relevant digital, professional, and workplace skills needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy.
The initiative, organised to commemorate World Youth Skills Day 2026 with the theme, “Skills for a Shared Future – The NextGen Advantage,” provided a platform for undergraduates, interns, and recent graduates to receive mentorship, coaching, and practical career guidance from experienced Airtel professionals.
Held under the Airtel Employee Volunteer Programme (EVP), which enables employees to contribute their time and expertise towards social impact initiatives, the 90-minute virtual masterclass attracted more than 400 young Nigerians, extending the reach of Airtel Africa Foundation’s education and youth development efforts.
Speaking on the programme, the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, said empowering young people with relevant skills remains critical to building a competitive and sustainable future for Nigeria.
He noted that the changing nature of work requires young professionals to develop the right skills, mindset, and adaptability to thrive in the digital age.
“The future of work is changing faster than ever before, and success will increasingly belong to those equipped with the right skills, mindset, and confidence to adapt. At Airtel, 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 only knowledge but real industry experience to help shape careers, unlock opportunities, and prepare the next generation to lead in a digital world,” he said.
Unlike conventional career seminars, the masterclass adopted an interactive approach, allowing participants to choose specialised breakout sessions tailored to their individual interests, career goals, and professional development needs.
Delivering the keynote address titled “The Next Gen Advantage,” Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Femi Adeniran, said the future belongs to individuals who can transform ideas into meaningful solutions.
Adeniran highlighted five key actions for building a future-ready career: continuous learning, problem-solving, developing a strong digital reputation, embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI), and strengthening essential human skills.
“Technical knowledge remains important, but employers today are equally looking for adaptability, collaboration, communication skills, digital confidence, and the ability to keep learning continuously,” he said.
The programme featured two general sessions, including “Your Network is Your Net Worth,” where Director, Human Resources and Administration, Airtel Nigeria, Adebimpe Ayo-Elias, encouraged participants to build strong professional relationships and develop good character.
The second session, “Your Money, Your Future,” focused on financial discipline, budgeting, and personal money management, and was facilitated by Olakunbi Osigbesan, Head, Treasure, Smartcash PSB.
Participants also engaged in five specialised breakout sessions designed to build essential workplace competencies.
The “Digital Transformation and Growth” session, led by Oyebowale Akideinde, General Manager, Digital and Innovation, Airtel Nigeria, explored how young professionals can leverage digital platforms to create opportunities and enhance visibility.
The “CV Clinic and Interview Masterclass,” facilitated by Chidera Okoye, HR Outsourcing Lead, Airtel Nigeria, provided practical guidance on recruitment processes, including creating applicant tracking system (ATS)-friendly CVs and effectively applying the STAR interview technique.
A session on “Communication and Personal Branding,” delivered by Sam Adeoye, Head, Public Relations, Airtel Nigeria, focused on effective self-presentation, professional communication, and building personal visibility through the V.I.R.A.L. framework developed for participants.
The programme also featured “AI as Your Superpower,” presented by Ezenwa Agbanusi, IT Governance Executive at Airtel Nigeria, where participants explored prompt engineering and the use of AI-powered tools to improve learning, creativity, and workplace productivity.
The final breakout session, “Emotional Intelligence,” led by Victoria Ndu, Corporate Social Responsibility Lead, Airtel Nigeria, highlighted the importance of developing strong emotional intelligence for effective leadership, teamwork, and professional success.
Through initiatives such as the World Youth Skills Day masterclass, Airtel Nigeria continues to support youth development by connecting young professionals with industry experts and equipping them with the skills required to participate meaningfully in Nigeria’s growing digital economy.
