LBS honours Gbenga Adigun for impact in alumni mentoring programme

Lagos Business School has presented a certificate of recognition to Gbenga Adigun for his contribution to the 2025 LBS Alumni Mentoring Programme.

The recognition reflects his role in supporting mentees with practical guidance, funding support, and leadership insight aimed at business growth.

Speaking on his motivation for joining the initiative, Adigun said he wanted to share lessons gathered over time and close the gap between theory and practice. “I joined the LBS mentoring initiative because I wanted to provide the ‘operating manual’ I wish I had almost 2 decades ago,” he said. “The classroom teaches strategy, but the ‘street’ teaches reality, and I wanted to bridge that gap for the next generation.”

He explained that his approach focused on building capacity rather than offering fixed solutions. “It wasn’t about giving them answers but teaching them to ask the right questions,” he said.

According to him, the programme was structured around key values. He noted the importance of “resilience,” describing leadership in Nigeria as “managing friction and staying standing when policies shift.” He also stressed “the power of trust,” adding that “even in tech, human connection is our most important currency.” He further pointed to “a focus on inclusion,” noting that success involves “building solutions that reach the underserved in every corner of the country.”

A defining moment in the programme came when one of his mentees moved beyond planning into execution. Adigun said the mentee had developed a strategy to launch new product lines but faced a funding constraint.

“In 2025, they were ready to launch new product lines but faced a common hurdle: inventory funding,” he said. “I decided to step in with debt capital support to help them stock up and meet the demand they had worked so hard to build.”

He noted that the outcome validated the mentoring effort. “Seeing that capital translate into consistent sales and now receiving steady returns on that investment is the ultimate validation,” he said. “It proved that the mentorship wasn’t just about sharing almost 2 decades of experience; it was about providing the tangible ‘fuel’ needed to scale.”

Reflecting on the impact, he added: “Realising I had helped a founder cross the bridge from ‘potential’ to ‘profitable’ was when I knew the impact was real.”

Adigun also spoke on how the experience influenced him. He said the process required him to reassess his own methods. “Explaining almost 2 decades of experience to a sharp, inquisitive mind makes you realise which of your strategies are timeless and which need an upgrade for the 2026 economy,” he said.

On a personal level, he described the experience as a reset. “It’s easy to get caught up in boardrooms and scaling targets, but seeing the ambition and grit of a mentee reminds you why you started,” he said. He added that it shifted his perspective on success “from just ‘hitting numbers’ to ‘building people’.”

Looking ahead, Adigun said he hopes his mentee will retain a balanced approach to growth. “I hope my mentee carries the understanding that profit and purpose are not mutually exclusive,” he said, noting that resilient businesses “solve a genuine social friction.”

He also outlined his broader philosophy on leadership and giving back. “Leadership is a relay race, not a sprint,” he said. He added that mentorship is “not a side project” but a responsibility to prepare people for the future, describing them as “the ‘hardware’ of our economy.”