ALX Enterprise recently convened a closed-door executive roundtable at The Art Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, bringing together senior business leaders and human resources executives to explore practical approaches to artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, change management and workforce readiness.
The roundtable, themed “How the Intelligent Enterprise Runs on AI and Smarter Talent,” brought together several leaders from organisations across various sectors, including Union Bank, Meristem, SeamlessHR, Mercurie, CareerBuddy, Aradel Holdings, Tetracore Energy, Norrenberger, MTN, SeamlessHR, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), among others.
Guests were welcomed by Ola Igwe, Chief of Staff and Operations at ALX Nigeria, who opened the session with a brief check-in and participant introductions before handing over to Ruby Igwe, Regional Director, West and Central Africa, ALX Enterprise, to lead the afternoon’s discussions.
Facilitating the lead presentation and an open debate on “Who Owns AI Adoption?” Ruby Igwe emphasised that successful AI adoption requires organisations to prioritise people, leadership and change management alongside technology.
“At ALX, we have always believed that developing talent and equipping people with the right skills are essential to driving meaningful change. Through our work with young people, we have helped build the capabilities they need to thrive in a changing world, while ALX Enterprise extends this commitment to businesses, helping them strengthen leadership, develop workforce capabilities and navigate technological change.
As AI reshapes how organisations operate, our focus is on ensuring that businesses are not simply adopting new tools, but building the people, leadership and organisational readiness to use them effectively. Ultimately, the intelligent enterprise is one that combines technology with smarter talent to drive sustainable business growth,” she said.
She called on business leaders to establish clear accountability, develop appropriate safeguards, invest in workforce capabilities and build the organisational trust required to sustain adoption.
The discussions moved from strategy to practice through an interactive simulation led by Oluwapelumi Thomas, Learning Manager, ALX West and Central Africa. Participants took on the role of a task force tasked with transforming an organisation into an AI-first business within a year, navigating competing investment priorities and potential challenges involving data security, measurable business outcomes and employee adoption.
The exercise highlighted the importance of balancing governance, quick-win projects, access to AI tools and workforce training to achieve sustainable results.
Temitope Ekundayo, Sales and Partnerships Manager, ALX Enterprise, subsequently outlined the organisation’s four-stage enterprise methodology: Diagnose, Design, Deliver and Measure. The approach combines dedicated programme management, tailored learning experiences and measurable outcomes aligned with each client’s business priorities.
ALX Enterprise’s experience includes training more than 3,000 corporate learners, supporting 147 employees at a Nigerian energy operator and delivering 55 management learning cohorts for MTN Côte d’Ivoire, among others, within six months.
The roundtable also explored opportunities for organisations to work with ALX Enterprise through tailored corporate training, AI programmes, leadership development, talent recruitment and strategic partnerships.
Through the engagement, ALX Enterprise reinforced the need for organisations to approach AI as a people and business transformation priority, equipping employees with the capabilities, guidance and leadership support required to translate technological potential into meaningful business outcomes.