On November 2nd, the Organizational Learning and Development (OLxD) team hosted the second annual Organizational Learning and Development Conference (OLxDCon) at the MUSON Center in Lagos, Nigeria. Building on the momentum from last year, this edition elevated expectations and outcomes with its theme, “Repositioning Learning for Business Impact.” The conference featured a lineup of distinguished speakers who shared insights and engaged participants in thought-provoking discussions aimed at redefining corporate learning and development (L&D) practices.
The event opened with a welcome address from Ademola Johnson, the convener of OLxD, who shared the vision behind OLxD’s initiatives. Founded to build talent development and learning capabilities across Africa, OLxD supports professionals through knowledge-sharing webinars, organized networking events, and a vibrant online community where members can exchange resources and insights. OLxDConserves as the highlight of these initiatives, offering an in-person and virtual platform for Learning &Development professionals to gather, learn, and grow together in Africa.
OLxD is poised to sustainably drive continuous growth and innovation within the region’s L&D sector in the coming year with more impactful initiatives.
This year’s OLxD Conference, therefore featured two robust panel discussions that provided valuable insights for participants. The first panel, titled Strategies for Enhancing Employee Development & Organizational Success, emphasized the importance of aligning learning and development (L&D) initiatives with specific business outcomes. The discussion centered around presenting talent development as a measurable investment rather than a mere expense. Panelists highlighted the necessity for the L&D team to collaborate extensively with subject matter experts and leaders across various organizational levels. They advocated for fostering a culture of continuous learning that includes tailored initiatives such as “train the trainer” programs, ensuring that all employees, including top leadership, are engaged in the learning process.
The second panel, Overcoming the Challenges in Workplace Learning, focused on innovative methods to enhance employee engagement in learning. Speakers discussed techniques like storytelling to make training content relatable, gamification to create enjoyable learning experiences, and “bite-size” learning to integrate training seamlessly into daily routines. The importance of establishing continuous feedback loops, both from the L&D team to employees and vice versa, was emphasized as a crucial element to ensure that learning remains relevant and impactful.
In addition to the panels, OLxDCon’24 featured two spotlight sessions that resonated strongly with attendees. The first spotlight session, The Future of Work and Learning: Adapting to Accelerate Success, presented by Ashley Immanuel, emphasized the need to create a work environment devoid of interpersonal fear. Ashley articulated, “No one wants to work in an environment that promotes interpersonal fear. People should feel comfortable speaking without asking rhetorical questions that do not dignify them.”
The second spotlight session, Leadership in Learning: Driving Change and Business Impact, led by Rotimi Lijofi, explored the pivotal role of leaders in shaping a culture of learning significantly within their organizations. “Leaders set the tone for the culture of learning,” Rotimi stated. “If the culture is wrong, learning cannot be effective. Learning has not taken place until there is a change in behavior.”
Meanwhile, the conference culminated with a keynote address from Ms. Chizoba Mojekwu on Transforming Corporate Culture: Integrating Learning for Strategic Advantage, which left a lasting impression on attendees. Ms. Mojekwu shared insights on how “learning awakens individuals to possibilities, and acting on those possibilities compels us to learn.” She suggested that one effective way to foster leadership learning among executives is by encouraging them to facilitate training sessions themselves, thereby deepening their understanding and commitment to learning initiatives.
Furthermore, throughout the sessions, attendees posed practical questions, allowing the speakers to provide relatable, actionable responses. The highly engaging discussions encouraged an open exchange of ideas, enabling participants to explore practical strategies they could apply directly within their organizations.
OLxDCon’24 was made possible by the support of sponsors and exhibitors, including Teknowledge,Hucap, Talstack, Moniepoint and Indomie. Exhibitors like Phillips Consulting Ltd, Crosstie Solutions, Zokoro, Nexford University, African Management InstituteI, Selfa, and Leap Africa also added value to the conference experience by showcasing their latest offerings for L&D professionals. Media partners such as TechMoonshot and TVC News covered the event, amplifying the visibility and reach of the conference.
Closing the highly engaging conference the convener, Ademola Johnson in his vote of thanks, appreciated the support of the widely vast resource persons, sponsors, exhibitors and delegates present. Equipped with new insights and strategies, he stated that attendees are ready to drive meaningful change within their organizations, enhancing productivity and foster continuous development. We eagerly anticipate the catalytic organisational transformations precedented by the practical applications of the insightful learnings at the OLxDCon’24 and we will continue to shape the narrative engineered by the powerful corporate learning realignment in the regional landscape.
