Airtel colleagues celebrate Femi Oshinlaja’s distinguished career at farewell event
It was an evening of celebration and heartfelt tributes as colleagues across Airtel Nigeria hosted a farewell event in honour of Femi Oshinlaja, who recently concluded his tenure as chief commercial officer (CCO).
The ceremony, held on Friday, October 17, in the green garden of Airtel Nigeria’s headquarters, brought together senior executives, staff from across the country, and notable industry leaders.
Among the distinguished guests were Segun Ogunsanya, chairman of the Airtel Africa Foundation and former Airtel Africa Group CEO; Bimbo Ashiru, chairman of Odu’a Investment Company; Kennedy Osemwegie, commandant, NASS; and Ayodele Soyinka, senior partner at KPMG.
Oshinlaja’s career at Airtel spans two impactful chapters. In his early years, he served as regional operations Director (Lagos and West) and later as vice-president, direct sales, before returning in 2022 as chief commercial officer.
Under his leadership, Airtel Nigeria recorded remarkable growth. According to data published by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) between 2022 and 2025, the company’s customer market share rose from 28 percent to 34 percent, while its internet subscriber share increased from 28 percent to 35 percent — a reflection of strengthened operational efficiency, customer retention, and value optimisation.
Before rejoining Airtel, Oshinlaja served as chief operations officer at Sasai Fintech, Mauritius.
His earlier career includes senior commercial and sales roles at Nigerian Bottling Company (Coca-Cola Hellenic), Diageo, Nokia, British American Tobacco, and Equity Bank.
With more than two decades of experience spanning telecoms, FMCG, banking, and technology, he is widely regarded as a well-rounded strategist who blends operational discipline with deep market insight.
Tributes poured in from colleagues who praised his professionalism, leadership, and personal touch.
Dinesh Balsingh, Chief Executive Officer, described him as “a leader whose impact will continue to be felt,” adding, “Femi’s work was commendable, and his leadership success is undeniable. We wish him great success in his next endeavours.”
Ismail Adeshina, director of marketing, said: “Femi is leaving at a time when the ovation is loudest. It was a pleasure working with him, and if he ever calls again, I’ll be glad to work with him once more.”
Femi Adeniran, Director of Corporate Communications and CSR, noted: “We navigated some turbulent waters together, but through it all, Femi remained steady, focused, and full of energy.”
Kemi Ariyo, director of IT, added: “Femi was not just a colleague but an adviser — someone you could always turn to for guidance and support.”
The evening featured short speeches, music, photo presentations, and gifts from teams across the business. Many attendees described Oshinlaja as a leader who built both systems and people — one who demanded excellence, mentored passionately, and remained accessible to his team.
Oshinlaja expressed gratitude for the camaraderie and trust he enjoyed throughout his career at Airtel.
“Thank you for the friendship, trust, and the privilege to serve. I leave confident that the team will continue to take Airtel Nigeria to greater heights,” he said.
