Karl Toriola Shares Leadership Lessons at Redefinition Conference 9.0
Young professionals have been encouraged to prioritise continuous learning, build resilience and take responsibility for their personal growth as they prepare for leadership roles in a competitive environment. The message was delivered by MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Karl Toriola, during the ninth edition of the Redefinition Conference held on July 25, 2026, at the United Evangelical Church. The event, themed “CTRL+S: Save. Deploy. Scale.”, brought together entrepreneurs, business executives and young professionals to discuss leadership, innovation and self-development.
During an interactive session, Toriola advised participants not to allow setbacks to define them, noting that failure is a natural part of success. “Make no mistake: I have made a million mistakes in my life. Probably what has gotten me to where I am is I don’t let them completely wipe me out, and I always learn something and try and make it a little bit better after that mistake, and try not to repeat it over again,” he said.
He also urged young professionals to take full responsibility for shaping their careers by intentionally improving their skills. “Your career, your future, your life is your responsibility and your responsibility only. And nobody is going to give you any leeway because you started from behind… It is up to you to close that gap,” he said. Toriola added that he personally invested his own time, money and vacation periods to gain knowledge in areas such as finance and risk management.
Speaking on the changing workplace, Toriola said organisations should create opportunities for younger employees to contribute their ideas and perspectives. “The balance will come if you give the new people that you bring into your organization an excessively loud voice. The problem is you bring in these people, and then you put them in a corner… and you shut them down,” he said. He added that companies must remain receptive to fresh ideas to remain competitive in a fast-changing business environment.
The session concluded with a memorable moment when a student studying Data Engineering and Analytics asked Toriola for an internship opportunity at MTN Nigeria. Impressed by the student’s confidence, the MTN CEO directed the student to a member of his team after the session to explore the request. The gesture was applauded by the audience and reflected the conference’s message on the importance of initiative, confidence and creating opportunities.
