Mrs. Ajo Afolabi-Balogun is a Nigerian professional known for her work in promoting employability skills and youth development in Africa, particularly in Nigeria. She is the Country Manager for the Power Learn Project (PLP) and co-founder and Director of People & Growth at Jobred.

In this interview, she says her work focuses on empowering job seekers and graduates through skills training and resources.

Excerpts:

As a director, youth leader, and advocate for employability in Africa, how does your work operate?

My work revolves around designing and implementing initiatives that equip young people with the skills they need to thrive in the job market. This includes collaborating across the education sector, government, and private industries. It’s about creating systems that prepare young people not just for jobs, but for meaningful, lasting careers.

You are the Co-Founder/CEO of Jobred and the Country Manager for Power Learn Project Africa. Can you tell us more about what’s happening at both organizations and your achievements so far?

At Jobred, we’ve supported over 8,000 young people with job readiness and employability training. We equip them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enter and excel in the workplace through modules like our “12 Work Talents” and “I Am Talent” programs. We’ve worked extensively with university students, and recently expanded our reach to secondary schools—because our mission is to build a more competitive and confident youth workforce from the ground up.

At Power Learn Project, I lead operations in Nigeria. It’s a pan-African initiative with an ambitious goal: To train one million software developers and improve learning outcomes across the continent through innovative tech education. I’m proud that our work at Jobred created the opportunity for this partnership. Together, we’re combining technical training with soft skills development—because we believe that technical ability and workplace readiness must go hand in hand to create real, lasting impact.

What are your thoughts on youth development in the IT space?

Our youths are the drivers of innovation and growth. Developing their tech skills is key to unlocking solutions tailored to Africa’s unique challenges. By investing in their growth, we not only increase their job prospects but also stimulate entrepreneurship and open new industries that might otherwise be overlooked.

This is why we consistently call on organizations to create more job opportunities, internships, and mentorship platforms. We must give young Africans hands-on experience and exposure to real-world work environments if we truly want them to succeed. I would also like to add that besides tech we are also working on economic empowerment programmes in the beauty and hospitality industries

You’re a Durham University Business School graduate. Has that experience influenced your advocacy work?

Absolutely. My time at Durham came right after my work with the United Nations and marked a pivotal point in my journey. I studied management and human resources, and it taught me to think independently and solve problems strategically. I didn’t realize at the time how deeply it would influence my work—but those lessons became the foundation for what we do now at Jobred: preparing graduates for the world of work. Durham was instrumental in shaping how I approach systems change, operations and of course people.

How do your students continue to learn beyond your programs?

Preparing young people for the workplace requires a holistic approach. Our education systems must align with modern industry needs. We must offer practical experiences, teach workplace navigation, and encourage adaptability and lifelong learning.

At Jobred, we encourage learning from everyday life experiences. We simplify this by teaching students that being mindful of their journey is what shapes their learning curve. By adopting this mindset, they begin to extract value from every challenge, every success, and every mistake. That’s how true growth happens.

Why do you do what you are do now?

I do worry about what we’re leaving behind for these young people. In simple terms, we are at war. A war for talent. A war for relevance. A war for the future of our continent. And that means we must fight together—as a people and as a nation. My mission is to ensure we’re investing in our youth so they can drive growth, fuel innovation, and create thriving communities across Africa. It’s a fight for collaboration, for meaningful partnerships across borders, and for a shared vision of what our future could and should look like. That’s why I do what I do.