In 2026, industry leaders emphasize that career growth is increasingly determined by relevance, adaptability, and long-term value, rather than solely by educational certificates, job titles, or organizational affiliation.
This shift in thinking extends across various industries. Global talent managers are re-evaluating hiring and promotion practices, growth leaders are prioritizing skills over tenure, and content creators are leveraging influence as a strategic career asset. The common thread among these trends is the critical need for continuous upskilling to maintain relevance.
To guide early-career professionals in navigating their career paths with purpose, insights were gathered from industry executives with deep understanding of career development complexities.
This article presents practical, experience-backed advice on how to intentionally build a career over time, focusing on what is truly needed to grow, stay competitive, and future-proof one's career in 2026 and beyond.
Sophia Sankey: Building Transferable Skills in Tech Sales and Digital Transformation
Sophia Sankey, an experienced sales and growth leader with over 15 years in sectors including financial services, telecommunications, manufacturing, retail, oil and gas, and government, highlights the importance of digital transformation and technology deployment.
Sankey notes that despite concerns about youth unemployment in Nigeria, opportunities in tech sales and digital transformation offer some of the quickest routes for career advancement. Drawing from her leadership experience at Heirs Technologies and SOEDIRIT Nigeria Limited, she stresses the significance of developing transferable skills such as sales strategy, partnerships, and consultative selling.
"Start as a Sales Development Rep or intern in fintech/SaaS, advance to Account Executive, then Sales Manager or Growth roles. Commit to lifelong learning via courses on change management and read industry insights. Play the long game with consistent progress amid 93% informal employment. Consider joining tech communities, too. Attend workshops and offer value first—essential for landing roles without prior experience, as seen in telecom transitions."
Elizabeth Ogunseye: The Power of Visibility and Intentional Learning in Marketing
Elizabeth Ogunseye, a global technology and growth leader with expertise in fintech, cross-border payments, and digital banking, emphasizes the importance of visibility and intentional learning for career advancement. Her work focuses on the intersection of growth strategy, regulation, and execution.
As the Manager of Product & Lifecycle Marketing for payment products at Sterling Bank, Ogunseye is responsible for go-to-market strategy and growth architecture in cross-border payments and consumer banking. She encourages early-career marketers to be proactive in showcasing their work, voicing concerns about misalignments with their goals, and dedicating themselves to continuous practice.
“If you’re just starting in marketing, ensure you are visible and knowledgeable about your work. To ensure I continuously upskill, I set up a quarterly plan that outlines the skills I want to improve and focus on. I remain disciplined and avoid distractions. Don't wait for a task to be assigned to you. Speak with your boss and share your eagerness to apply something new you've learned that could add real value. As marketers, we are testers and experimenters, so being outspoken is essential."
Chijioke Amaeshi: Upskilling and Embracing Internships for Career Success
Chijioke Amaeshi, Global Talent Manager at LEKOIL Limited, overseeing talent management across Nigeria, the UK, and the US, brings over 14 years of experience in strategic HRBP and talent management within the Oil & Gas and Tech industries across multiple countries.
Amaeshi believes that career success in the current landscape hinges on upskilling within specialized fields and a willingness to explore internship opportunities.
“It’s important to stay updated with the latest trends, technologies, and changes in your industry. Job seekers who are unemployed or between jobs should consider applying for graduate trainee programs, as a couple of them will be advertised in the coming months. If they are unsuccessful in securing a spot in such programs, they should explore internship opportunities. Accepting an unpaid internship can be beneficial for their career in both the mid and long term."
Tobi Rasaq Alaka: Strategic Communication and Intentionality for Women in Career Growth
Tobi Rasaq, Corporate Communications Manager at Zone, is a results-driven executive with over a decade of experience aligning communications strategy with business outcomes, particularly in dynamic and regulated industries.
Rasaq also founded Empowher Nigeria, a women-led community focused on empowering young African women in their careers and businesses through mentorship, advocacy, and access to opportunities. She stresses the importance of intentionality and visibility, advising professionals to approach their careers strategically, much like a product that requires clear positioning, communication, and continuous refinement.
"For a long time, women have been told to simply do the work and trust that their excellence will speak for them. That is not enough anymore. In a world full of noise, you must clearly communicate what you do, the value you bring, and how it connects to business goals. Clarity and purpose are essential, especially during demanding seasons of growth. Find something beyond your day job that fuels your ambition and keeps you grounded."
Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose: Nurturing Strengths and Leveraging Technology for Career Development
Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose, a linguist, writer, and lecturer at Lagos State University (LASU), is a prominent voice on language use, education, and career development in Nigeria.
Dr. Bamgbose advises young individuals to identify and cultivate their natural strengths when making career choices. He suggests that career growth can also stem from identifying and addressing societal needs. He encourages young Nigerians to explore the vast opportunities technology offers, either as a tool to enhance their current work or as an entry point into new fields like software analysis and content creation.
“Young people must understand that they are all carriers of one potential or the other, and what they carry should inform their career. Life is easier when you are in your place of comparative advantage. A serious-minded person must move from the level of ability to the stage of expertise through practical efforts such as volunteering and seeking mentorship. A critical engagement with social needs assessment can also be a way to choose and develop a career path. For instance, technology has so much to offer in the 21st Century, and anyone can tap into any aspect of it. Technology can either serve as an aid to whatever one does or serve as an insight into some new and lucrative ventures, such as software analysis, content creation and so on."
Adeife Adeoye: Evolving Identity for Growth and Transformation
Adeife Adeoye, a brand strategist, content creator, and founder of Remote WorkHer, a platform dedicated to helping African women enter the remote work economy, emphasizes continuous evolution and adaptability.
Adeoye highlights that a significant lesson in her career growth was learning to shed old identities and take bold steps outside her comfort zone. She observes that many professionals struggle to grow because they remain attached to past versions of themselves or outdated self-perceptions.
“In life and business, the rule is simple: evolve or dissolve. If you’re not growing, you’re fading away. The life and success you want are on the other side of an identity change. You can’t expect different results while being the same person. If you want better pay, more opportunities, or bigger rooms to walk into, you must let go of the identity that keeps you small. My challenge to you for 2026 is to shed that old image. Evolve into a new version of yourself. Stop playing small and start embodying the person who belongs in those bigger rooms. Growth demands transformation — so step into it boldly."
Ota Akhigbe: Prioritizing Impact and Systems Thinking in Health Sector Careers
Ota Akhigbe, Director of Partnerships and Programs at eHealth, is a global executive with over 17 years of experience leading health and development portfolios in complex environments.
Akhigbe stresses that career growth in the health sector in 2026 will favor professionals who prioritize impact over titles. She advises building fluency in data and digital tools, understanding how technology functions within real health systems, and developing systems thinking across policy, financing, service delivery, and partnerships. She also emphasizes the importance of execution skills, stakeholder management, and clear communication, noting that these matter more than certifications alone. Akhigbe recommends focusing on a real problem, specializing deeply, and maintaining a commitment to ethics and human-centered impact, as credibility compounds faster than visibility.
“In 2026, career growth in health will belong to people who focus on outcomes, not titles. Build fluency in data and digital tools, not necessarily coding, but understanding how technology actually works in real health systems. Develop systems thinking across policy, financing, service delivery, and partnerships, because health challenges are never isolated. Investing in execution skills, delivering results, managing stakeholders, and communicating clearly matter more than certificates alone. Lastly, choose a real problem, specialise deeply, and stay grounded in ethics and human-centred impact. Credibility compounds faster than visibility."
Ibukun Onitiju: Creating Value and Building a Compounding Skillset
Ibukun Onitiju, an enterprise sales and digital media growth executive, believes that growth is achieved by simplifying complexity to enable confident action. His career spans emerging markets, enterprise media, AdTech, MarTech, and the evolving landscapes of AI and Web3.
Onitiju has assisted businesses in complex markets by streamlining their sales, communication, and audience engagement strategies. His experience includes leading digital and commercial transformation initiatives for Nestlé across 25 African markets, building multi-country media and sales operations at Ringier, and currently driving enterprise sales and digital growth for INK’s global travel media network. He advises professionals to focus on creating tangible value, as judged by those controlling budgets and outcomes, rather than optimizing for roles and titles. He recommends developing a hard, commercial skill that compounds, such as enterprise selling, product storytelling, or data-driven growth, rather than relying on superficial tools. Onitiju suggests using AI as a force multiplier at the decision-making layer. He posits that in 2026, a personal brand without a track record will diminish quickly, and a track record without distribution will remain unnoticed. Professionals who will excel are those who can connect strategy to execution, demonstrate measurable impact, and become indispensable in critical situations.
“Stop optimising for roles and titles, and start optimising for value creation as judged by the people who control budgets, risk, and outcomes inside complex, real-world systems. Build one hard, commercial skill that compounds — such as enterprise selling, product storytelling, or data-driven growth — rather than relying on surface-level tools. Use AI as a force multiplier at the decision layer, not just the execution layer. In 2026, a personal brand without a track record will fade fast, and a track record without distribution will stay invisible. The professionals who will thrive in 2026 are those who can connect strategy to execution, demonstrate measurable impact, and make themselves indispensable in critical moments."