By Ebunoluwa Sessou & Matthew Johnson

The 11th edition of the HR Expo Africa Work Festival opened with a strong call for organizations to rethink productivity, as industry leaders, HR professionals and business executives converged to explore the theme: “Redefining Productivity in the Age of AI and Analytics.”

Held amid growing global conversations around artificial intelligence, the conference underscored a fundamental shift moving productivity away from hours worked and tasks completed, to value creation, innovation, and human capital development.

A new definition of productivity
Setting the tone for the event, keynote speaker Ruby Igwe, Regional Director for ALX Africa in West and Central Africa, highlighted how AI is rapidly transforming workplace expectations.

According to her, tasks that once consumed hours can now be completed in minutes, forcing professionals and organizations to rethink how they measure output and relevance.

“AI is changing the definition of productivity. The real question now is: what do we do with the extra time it creates? How do we use it to drive better outcomes and create more value?” she said.

Igwe emphasized the need for continuous learning, urging employees to conduct personal skills gap analyses and adopt emerging tools. She noted that institutions like ALX Africa are already training hundreds of thousands across the continent in AI, data, leadership and entrepreneurship.

However, she warned against over-reliance on AI, cautioning that blind dependence could lead to what she described as “AI slump”, a situation where outputs lack originality or critical thinking.

“AI is a tool, not a replacement for human intelligence. You must still think, analyze, and protect sensitive data,” she added.

Human capital still central
On his part, the Director-General of the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, stressed that investing in people through coaching is essential for organizational growth.
“If you fix the person, the person’s ability to fix the business becomes higher. Coaching should be seen as an investment, not a cost,” he said.

He further noted that as AI adoption increases, organizations must also strengthen governance, ethics, and compliance frameworks to prevent misuse.

HR at the forefront of change
Convener of the event and founder of HREA, Erefa Coker, described HR as the “driver of the driver,” noting that organizations are fundamentally people-powered.

Reflecting on the evolution of the conference since its inception, Coker said HR Expo Africa has consistently anticipated workplace trends from early discussions on the future of work to digital transformation and remote working, long before the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated those realities.
“Today, productivity is no longer about hours worked. It is about value creation. AI can automate tasks, but humans must define value,” she said.

She added that ethical considerations, transparency, and policy development around AI would be critical focus areas for organizations moving forward.

Managers as experience designers
On her part, Group Head of HR at Sahara Group Emilomo Arorote , in one of the Masterclasses, highlighted the pivotal role managers play in shaping employee experience.

“Managers are the experience. Employees’ engagement and retention depend largely on their relationship with their managers,” she said.

Arorote outlined key pillars for improving workplace experience, including organizational culture, talent development, succession planning, and technology adoption. She stressed that managers must align employees with organizational vision to drive productivity.

Unlocking hidden talent through AI
Another session led by the Head of People and Stakeholder Experience at TSL Logistics, Ifiok Ezenwa, explored the concept of internal talent marketplaces.

She explained that many organizations overlook existing skills within their workforce, often resorting to external hiring instead.

“Employees are more than their job roles. AI-powered talent marketplaces can reveal hidden skills and connect people to opportunities within the organization,” she said.

Ezenwa added that such systems not only improve productivity but also enhance employee engagement and retention.

Delegating, not abdicating to AI
Also speaking, Managing Partner at DBrown Consulting, David Brown, urged professionals to rethink their relationship with AI.

“Do not abdicate to AI but delegate to AI,” he said, emphasizing the importance of domain expertise.
According to Brown, while AI can handle repetitive tasks faster, professionals must retain responsibility, apply judgment, and ensure accuracy.

“People who embrace AI will become more competitive and profitable. Those who don’t risk being left behind,” he warned.

An Associate Professor of International HRM, London South Bank University, Mr. John Opute, has urged professionals and business leaders to prioritise relevance and impact in their organisations, stressing the need to “focus on what matters” in an ever evolving workplace.

According to him, HR practitioners are to identify their most pressing needs , whether in recruitment, training, performance management, employee relations, or rewards and channel their energy into those areas.

Opute said: “Each and every one of us is going through different stages in life. What is happening in another company may be totally irrelevant to your organisation, you don’t have to copy. Focus on what matters to you.

What matters is what will make the difference, not just what you are doing, stating the reigning outfit may not fit you. Sew the one that suits you.” he said.

In her reaction, founder of Black Women in Human Resources, BWHR, Mrs. Adese Okojie , underscored the importance of HR-focused gatherings in fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.

She described the HREA work festival 2026 as a continuous drive bringing together HR professionals across industries, highlighting emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of work.
Senior Manager and head of talent management at Polaris bank, Cynthia Sanyaolu, described the program as an agent of change and embracing Ai into every organization sectors.

“There is no going back to status quo. The worst we can do is to remain where we are, but the best thing we can do as individuals and within organisations is to begin now to make accommodation for the shifting world of work. With AI, automation, robotics, work is not going to be the same,” Cynthia said.