82 Professionals Graduate As BSN Deepens Leadership Development Drive

Business School Netherlands (BSN) Nigeria has celebrated the graduation of 82 Nigerian professionals who completed its Action Learning Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme, with the latest cohort taking the number of Nigerian graduates of the programme to approximately 1,156.

The graduates were honoured at BSN’s global convocation and graduation ceremony held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on Saturday, September 26, 2026.

The milestone also comes as the wider BSN Nigeria community has grown to more than 2,343 members, reflecting the institution’s expanding network of professionals engaged in management education, leadership development and organisational transformation.

The graduation ceremony brought together the latest cohort of Nigerian MBA graduates, their families, faculty members, academic advisers and members of the wider BSN community to celebrate the completion of a programme centred on applying management knowledge to real organisational challenges.

BSN’s Action Learning model combines academic study with practical problem-solving, requiring participants to examine real challenges within their organisations, question established assumptions, work collaboratively and develop solutions that can be implemented in practice.

For the 82 graduates, the ceremony marked the culmination of an intensive period of management education, applied research, critical reflection and practical engagement with organisational challenges.

Chief Executive of BSN Nigeria, Prof. Lere Baale, congratulated the graduates on their achievement, urging them to demonstrate the value of their education through the quality of their decisions, the development of people around them and the improvements they bring to their organisations.

Baale emphasised that the significance of an MBA extends beyond the qualification itself, stressing the importance of translating knowledge into responsible leadership and sustainable organisational results.

The latest graduates have now joined a growing network of approximately 1,156 Nigerian professionals who have obtained BSN’s Action Learning MBA.

The wider BSN Nigeria community, which exceeds 2,343 members, provides a platform for continued learning, professional collaboration, mentorship and the exchange of practical experience among professionals across different sectors.

The graduation ceremony also featured an address by Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, His Excellency, Ambassador Dr Mohammed Idris Haidara.

Haidara’s participation added an international dimension to the celebration, which brought together Nigerian professionals and the broader BSN global learning community in Amsterdam.

Also speaking at the ceremony, a director of Business School Netherlands Nigeria, Dr Olumide Ajayi, challenged the new MBA holders to apply their knowledge to strengthen the competitiveness of their organisations.

Ajayi urged the graduates to remain focused on delivering value in an increasingly competitive marketplace, while encouraging them to continue contributing to Nigeria’s development.

He concluded his remarks with the popular Nigerian expression, “Nigeria no dey carry last.”

The valedictory address was delivered by Dr Olubunmi Fatungase, who represented the graduating class.

Fatungase reflected on the journey of the graduates and the demands of balancing professional responsibilities with academic work, while highlighting the significance of completing the programme.

BSN Nigeria also acknowledged the contributions of its faculty members, lecturers, examiners, Action Learning Coaches and Set Advisors for supporting the graduates throughout their academic journey.

The institution recognised the role of its staff and the wider BSN international team in delivering the programme and supporting the graduation ceremony.

Families, employers and colleagues of the graduates were also acknowledged for their support, particularly as many of the students combined their academic work with demanding professional and personal responsibilities.

The Action Learning approach adopted by BSN places practical organisational challenges at the centre of the learning process.

Rather than limiting learning to classroom-based theoretical instruction, participants are expected to interrogate challenges within their organisations, assess available evidence, engage with colleagues and develop responses that can produce measurable improvements.

The model is designed to strengthen strategic thinking, leadership capability, decision-making and the ability to translate management concepts into practical action.

With the latest graduation, BSN Nigeria said its growing network of MBA holders would provide an increasingly significant platform for knowledge-sharing and collaboration among Nigerian professionals.

The institution encouraged the new graduates to remain engaged with the BSN community and continue developing their capabilities beyond the MBA programme.