Diageo Nigeria Celebrates 157 Graduates as Learning for Life” Programme Hits 68% Female Participation
Diageo Nigeria graduated 157 young people on Friday May 22, 2026, after completing an 11-week internship programme under its “Learning for Life” skills initiative, with women making up 68% of the cohort.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Adebayo Alli, Diageo General Manager for Western Central Africa, said the programme was designed to “break down the walls of barriers to employment for young people.”
This programme is very close to our hearts,” Alli told graduates, guests and dignitaries. “It was just a belief to provide skills, structure, and workshops” for young people entering the hospitality sector.
Giving an overview of the program, Chiamaka Anenechukwu, Executive Assistant to the General Manager for Western Central Africa and current Learning for Life programme coordinator, said the latest cohort began with over 1,100 applications.
After shortlisting 740 candidates, 303 completed a week-long induction covering hospitality, health and hygiene, personal branding, conflict management, and financial literacy. Of those, 157 secured placements across hotels, bars, restaurants, and lounges for the hands-on internship phase.
Anenechukwu said the Nigeria programme set out to equip 250 young people with “practical industry-ready skills,” following a signing ceremony in July last year where partners made a public commitment to youth employment.
She used the occassion to acknowledged Christiana Robinson, described as the “brainchild behind this project,” and thanked Diageo’s leadership, partners, and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and Ministry of Employment and Wealth Creation for their support.
Sharing her experience, the over all best graduate, Fuastina Onyinye said she went from being a shy orphan struggling to survive to gaining confidence and a job after the Learning for Life program.
According to her, the hands-on training in customer service and conflict resolution directly helped her succeed in her internship and current role as a receptionist.
She emphasizes that the program gave her knowledge, direction, and people who supported her. Her key message is that “sometimes a miracle is just an opportunity, and someone believing in you before you believe in yourself.”
She pointed out that today "I can confidently say that this programme has completely changed my life, that has given me knowledge, confidence, and the fair direction for my future.
Adding that sometimes miracle is not magic, sometimes miracle is just an opportunity, and someone believing in you before you believe in yourself.”
Commenting on the programme, Lagos state commissioner for youth amd social development , Mobolaji Abubakare Ogunlende, reaffirmed the commitment of the state government towards investment in youths ‘’because such efforts yield dividends that cannot be quantified in the long run.’’”
Globally, Learning for Life has reached over 200,000 beneficiaries across 21 countries since launching in Latin America in 2008. Women account for 59% of beneficiaries worldwide, according to Diageo figures cited at the event.
With the Learning for Life programme. Your journey is just getting started, as Diageo said the initiative is part of its commitment to inclusion and diversity in the hospitality industry.
Photo Caption: Across section of graduates