Airtel Staff Bid Outgoing Chief Commercial Officer, Oshinlaja, Farewell

Colleagues and executives of Airtel Nigeria have hosted a farewell celebration in honour of the outgoing chief commercial officer, Femi Oshinlaja, marking the end of a distinguished career with the telecommunications company.

The event, held recently, at the green garden of Airtel Nigeria Headquarters in Lagos, was attended by the chief executive officer, members of the executive committee, and employees from across the country.
Also present were the chairman of Airtel Africa Foundation and former Airtel Africa Group CEO, Dr Segun Ogunsanya, the chairman of Odu’a Investment Company, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, the commandant of the National Assembly Maj. Gen. Kennedy Osemwegie, and the Senior Partner at KPMG Ayodele Soyinka.
Oshinlaja’s career at Airtel spanned two significant phases. He previously served as regional operations director for the Lagos and West regions and later as vice president of direct Sales before returning to the company in 2022 as chief commercial officer.

During his tenure, Airtel Nigeria recorded notable growth in market performance.

According to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the company’s customer market share increased from 28 per cent to 34 per cent, while its internet subscriber share rose from 28 percent to 35 per cent between 2022 and 2025. These achievements were attributed to his leadership in driving operational efficiency, customer acquisition, and value optimisation.

Before rejoining Airtel, Oshinlaja was chief operations officer at Sasai Fintech in Mauritius. He had also held senior roles at Nigerian Bottling Company (Coca-Cola Hellenic), Diageo, Nokia, British American Tobacco, and Equity Bank, amassing over two decades of experience across telecoms, FMCG, banking, and technology sectors.

Colleagues and executives paid glowing tributes to Oshinlaja’s leadership and mentorship during the farewell event.

The chief executive officer, Dinesh Balsingh, described his contribution as “commendable,” wishing him success in his future endeavours. The director of Marketing, Ismail Adeshina, noted that “Femi is leaving at a time when the ovation is loudest,” while the Director of Corporate Communications and CSR, Femi Adeniran, praised his “steady presence and relentless energy.”

Director of IT, Kemi Ariyo, also lauded his supportive leadership, describing him as “a colleague and adviser who was always available for guidance.”

In his remarks, Oshinlaja thanked the Airtel team for their “friendship, trust, and the privilege to serve “and expressed confidence in the company’s continued success.