- ABOUT I-TRAIN AFRICA FOUNDATION
Preparing african
talent for the
future of work
Preparing african
talent for the
future of work
- ABOUT I-TRAIN AFRICA FOUNDATION
Who We Are
I-Train Africa Foundation is a workforce development foundation advancing AI fluency, mentorship, and global employability for African youth, women, and professionals. Through structured workforce programs, global mentorship convenings, and career access initiatives, we are building an ecosystem of globally competitive African talent.
I-Train Africa Foundation exists to prepare Africans for the rapidly evolving Future of Work — where artificial intelligence, digital collaboration, cross-border employment, and automation are reshaping how careers are built and sustained.
Through workforce programs, mentorship initiatives, and global convenings, we equip African youth and professionals with the clarity, skills, networks, and opportunities needed to thrive in an increasingly digital and interconnected world
Vision
To build an ecosystem of Africans who have the clarity, information, skills, and knowledge to build the future we want. This ecosystem enables: • Economic mobility • Leadership development • Innovation across industries • Participation in global opportunities • Contribution to Africa’s long-term economic growth We believe clarity precedes confidence. Skills precede opportunity. Ecosystems precede transformation.
Mission
To empower 10 million African youth, women, and professionals to become globally employable by 2030. We pursue this mission through: • AI fluency and responsible technology use • Digital workplace competency • Professional self-positioning • Mentorship and leadership development • Structured career navigation • Internship-to-employment pathways Our work contributes to: • SDG 4 — Quality Education • SDG 5 — Gender Equality • SDG 8 — Decent Work & Economic Growth
Why We Exist
The Future of Work Is Changing Rapidly By 2030, the majority of workforce skills will shift due to artificial intelligence, automation, and digital transformation. Across Africa: • Youth unemployment remains high • Many graduates lack workplace-ready skills • Access to global career networks is limited • AI adoption is rising without structured education • Women begin careers but struggle to advance Without intentional intervention, the opportunity gap will widen. I-Train Africa Foundation exists to close that gap.
- OUR APPROACH
Our Model (Theory of Change)
Problem
African youth and professionals face: • Skills mismatch • Limited global exposure • Low AI fluency • Weak professional positioning • Fragmented mentorship access
Our Intervention
We implement an integrated model combining: • AI & Digital Workforce Skills • Mentorship & Leadership Acceleration • Career Navigation & Self-Positioning • Subsidized Workforce Access Programs • Internship & Placement Pathways
Impact
• Increased AI literacy • Improved digital productivity • Career clarity • Expanded mentorship networks • Increased global employability
What Makes Us Different
- PASSION IN ACTION
The Team Behind the Impact
Board Of Trustees
Dr. Aderinsola Adio-Adepoju
Chair, Board of Trustees | Co-Founder Dr. Aderinsola Adio-Adepoju is an educator, social entrepreneur, and global opportunities expert dedicated to preparing African youth and professionals for the future of work. She is the co-founder of I-Train Africa Foundation and the convener of the Global Mentorship Conference, a pan-African initiative connecting thousands of professionals with mentors and career opportunities. Her work focuses on AI fluency, workforce development, and leadership development for African talent. Through her initiatives, she has trained over 40,000 young people across Africa on career clarity, global opportunities, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Dr. Adio-Adepoju has secured more than 35 international fellowships, grants, and leadership opportunities across five continents. Her work has been featured in media platforms including BusinessDay and TVC, and she was recently selected for the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, securing a $100,000 grant to expand workforce development initiatives. She has also been invited to speak at the London School of Economics in 2026 on the future of work and global employability. She holds a Mini-MBA from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and has over a decade of experience across education, entrepreneurship, and leadership development.
Mahruf Adepoju
Secretary, Board of Trustees | Co-Founder Mahruf Adepoju is a corporate legal professional with more than twelve years of experience spanning private legal practice and corporate advisory roles. As a co-founder and trustee of I-Train Africa Foundation, he provides governance oversight and strategic guidance to support the organization’s long-term sustainability. Barrister Adepoju is known for his strong expertise in corporate governance, compliance, and stakeholder management. Throughout his career, he has played key roles in providing legal counsel to organizational leadership and mentoring younger professionals within his teams. Beyond his legal practice, he is deeply interested in contributing to initiatives that support sustainable development and youth empowerment. His involvement with the foundation reflects his commitment to advancing opportunities for young Africans to participate meaningfully in the global economy.
Advisory Board
Ivie Osobase
Advisory Board Member Ivie Folashade Osobase is a marketing and communications strategist with more than 14 years of experience across Sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. She currently works at the intersection of marketing strategy and Agile transformation, supporting organizations in building adaptive and innovative teams. Her career spans leading multi-country marketing campaigns, implementing data-driven CRM systems, and facilitating Agile transformations that significantly improve organizational efficiency. Ivie’s ability to combine creative thinking with technical expertise allows her to guide organizations through complex strategic challenges.
Andrews Akoto-Addo
Advisory Board Member Andrews Akoto-Addo is a social entrepreneurship practitioner and ecosystem builder focused on supporting social innovators across Africa. He currently serves as a Program and Communications Officer at Reach for Change Ghana, where he works with social entrepreneurs to scale sustainable impact. He is also an UNLEASH Ambassador, contributing to SDG-focused initiatives and supporting innovation communities across the continent. Andrews has collaborated with numerous entrepreneurship ecosystem actors and helped mobilize more than $3 million in support for startups and social enterprises.
Amara Okoli-Tasie
Advisory Board Member Amara Okoli Tasie is a manufacturer, entrepreneur, and business consultant with over a decade of experience supporting African entrepreneurs and manufacturers. She is the Founder and CEO of Mara Cruiz Limited and The Manufacturers Hub, an initiative that provides training and mentorship to emerging manufacturers. Through her work, Amara has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs build sustainable and profitable manufacturing businesses. Her expertise spans product development, digital marketing, distribution systems, business growth strategy, and operational management.
Latifah Lawal
Advisory Board Member Latifah Aitse Lawal is a multidisciplinary professional with over 14 years of experience across banking, agribusiness, project management, and business development. Her work focuses on designing sustainable business models that support profitability while advancing social impact. Latifah has led major initiatives across agricultural value chains and helped secure a $1.52 million credit line for smallholder livestock farmers, aligning with global sustainability goals. She is also a trustee of CASAF, an organization supporting vulnerable children and women in Nigeria.
Core Team
Ganiat Arogundade
Programme Coordinator Ganiat Arogundade joined I-Train Africa during the testing phase of the Workplace Fundamental Skills programme and quickly became a key contributor to the foundation’s growth. She coordinated a multinational team of more than 60 volunteers during the Global Mentorship Conference and has since supported the implementation of several initiatives across the organization. Currently based in the United States, Ganiat continues to contribute to programme coordination and community engagement within the foundation’s initiatives.
Muinat Rasaq
Communications Muinat Rasaq supports the foundation’s communications and digital engagement efforts. She manages social media engagement, newsletters, and content development that helps communicate the impact and activities of I-Train Africa’s initiatives.
Aishat Raji
Membership & Certification Support Aisha Raji supports administrative coordination within I-Train Africa’s programs, assisting with certification processes, participant engagement, and operational tasks that ensure programs run smoothly.
Joy Abel
Research & Development Joy supports research and digital systems development within the foundation’s programs. She works with digital learning platforms and tools that help organizations and course creators deliver programs effectively through automated systems and structured learning environments.
- JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Building the Future of Work for Africa
Across Africa, a new generation of talent is emerging — ambitious, creative, and ready to contribute to global progress. What many still lack is access to the mentorship, networks, skills, and opportunities that unlock their full potential.
I-Train Africa Foundation exists to bridge that gap.
Through mentorship networks, workforce development programs, and global convenings such as the Global Mentorship Conference, we are building an ecosystem where African professionals can develop the clarity, confidence, and capabilities required to thrive in the modern economy.
But building this future requires collaboration.
We welcome partnerships with institutions, organizations, mentors, and professionals who believe in expanding opportunity and strengthening Africa’s role in the global workforce.
Together, we can equip millions of Africans with the skills, networks, and opportunities needed to shape the future.
- OUR PARTNERS
Driving opportunity
through collective action
- MEDIA FEATURES
Amplifying impact
through global conversations
- Our work advancing mentorship, workforce skills, and global employability for African talent has been featured across media platforms and international conversations on the future of work.
