A couple of days ago, the sound of Afrobeat blared through the stadium as the crowd roared with excitement at the 2023 NBA All-Star game. The world was thrilled by the performance of Nigeria’s biggest music stars – Burna Boy, Tems, and Rema. It was a historic moment, and Gbemisola Abudu, the woman behind bringing this vision to life, stood backstage with a sense of pride and accomplishment.
As the NBA Africa Vice President and Country Head of NBA Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu had used her platform to showcase African excellence to the world.
Since the NBA Nigeria office opened a year ago, Gbemisola had been focused on using the NBA platform as a tool for nation-building for Nigerian youth. Her passion for building a better future for the next generation led her to launch BMGA Enterprise Limited, an EdTech finishing school for the future of work.
Through BMGA, Gbemisola has curated residence courses for all professionals that address specific soft skills essential in the business climate across Africa. These courses are designed with the BMGA methodology, which factors in the anthropological learning pattern of humans and how the human brain gathers, retains and recalls information.
But Gbemisola’s passion for empowering the next generation doesn’t stop there. She launched the BMGA Fellows Program, a social impact initiative designed to narrow the gender skills gap in Africa. The program is a six-month online blended learning experience that provides participants with the knowledge, resources, and access required to gain fundamental employability skills that strengthen their marketability. The program currently runs in seven African countries.
As an advocate for women and the SDGs goals, Gbemisola has an unwavering passion for philanthropic initiatives that are focused on the empowerment of women in the business environment, the narrowing of the gender skills gap, and the advocacy of children’s rights in developing countries. She is involved with organizations that encourage inclusivity and gender balance in the business environment.
With extensive professional experience in the United States, Africa, and the Middle East, Gbemisola is a brand builder, educator, impact architect, and philanthropist. She has dedicated her life to championing African excellence and empowering the next generation.
It was a proud moment when Gbemisola’s vision for showcasing Afrobeat in the NBA All-Star halftime show came to fruition. It was the first time a lineup of all Africans had headlined a major sporting show, and Gbemisola’s dedication to showcasing African excellence had made it possible.
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Joseph Omoniyi
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