Jobs/Appointments
Only 1 in 10 Global Workers Have In-Demand AI Skills—Study
Salesforce’s new digital skills survey shows that the vast majority of global workers think skills are more important than education qualifications or career background. Most people leaders (98%) believe the shift to skills-based hiring provides business benefits. Yet only 1 in 10 say they have AI skills — which is cited as one of today’s most in-demand digital skills.
This article looks at the survey’s full findings, based on 11,000+ workers across 11 countries, and shares new data on how the workforce perceives the role that generative AI will play in the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Eighty-four per cent of global workers consider the skills-based experience more important than a degree when trying to land a job in today’s market.
However, there’s a disconnect between the skills companies are hiring for and those currently used by the workforce. While 4 in 5 global workers report using digital skills in their day-to-day work, few report skills beyond collaboration technology, digital administration, and digital project management.
In contrast, today’s fastest growing and in-demand skills as reported by workers include artificial intelligence (AI) and coding/app development — but they rank among the least used in workers’ day-to-day roles.
The good news? There appears to be less fear — and more excitement — among workers about the potential of emerging technologies to transform the jobs of the future. This, paired with workers’ reported desire to learn new skills, suggests that companies can help close the digital skills gap by providing continuous, skills-based training to their employees.
A global movement toward skills-based hiring
The shift toward skills-based hiring is evident at all levels. Most (82%) people leaders surveyed said that skills are the most important attribute when evaluating candidates. Only 18% said that relevant degrees are the most important.
Over half of people leaders (56%) cite talent retention as a business benefit to skills-based hiring. Increased workforce diversity (48%) and knowledge sharing (46%) also ranked highly.
Additionally, most people believe that prioritizing employees’ digital skills development will have positive impacts on wider business performance, citing increased productivity (47%), better team performance (43%), and improved problem-solving capabilities (40%).
Leaders and employees agree on the need for AI skills
Workers are excited about emerging AI technologies like generative AI. Sixty per cent of global workers reported excitement about the prospect of using generative AI for their job. In fact, more workers were excited about its use in their workplace (58%) than worried about it replacing them in their job (42%). This is in line with interest from management: Globally, two-thirds of people leaders(67%) say that their company is considering ways to use generative AI.
Despite this excitement, recent research shows that while over half of U.S.-based senior IT leaders say their business is currently using or experimenting with generative AI, 66% say their employees don’t have the skills to successfully leverage the technology.
Workers agree that AI skills are important: Nearly one-fourth of global workers rank AI skills as among the top three most important digital skills right now. This number rises when asked about the importance of these skills over the next five years.
As needs evolve, workplace skills lag
Despite its importance to their future skill set, only 1 in 10 workers say their day-to-day role currently involves AI. A mere 14% say their role involves other, related digital skills like encryption and cyber security, and a smaller 13% claim to use coding and app development skills.
The industry indexing the highest for AI skills, specifically, is the technology industry, but even for this industry, less than a third of employees (27%) use AI skills within their roles today. Outside of traditional IT roles, this number drops further; less than 10% of those in healthcare (8%) and the public sector (6%) report they use AI skills in their day-to-day role.
The path forward is upskilling. Nearly all (97%) global workers believe businesses should prioritize AI skills in their employee development strategy.
Upskilling is critical across wide swaths of these emerging technologies. As a result of the rise in AI and automation, people leaders say data security skills (60%), ethical AI and automation skills (58%), and programming skills (57%) will become increasingly important in the workplace. When asked what ‘soft’ skills will likely be more important as a result, people leaders ranked creative imaginative skills (56%), customer relationship skills (53%), and leadership skills (51%) highest.
Fortunately, companies seeking to boost emerging technology skills and focus on skills-based hiring have something going for them — workers want to expand their limited set of digital skills. Nine in 10 believe that businesses should prioritize digital skills development for their employees.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
In line with the 12-year tenure prescribed for non-executive directors of banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Tony Elumelu will on August 21, 2026, cease to be chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc.
The board of the financial institution at its meeting on July 6, 2026, has elected Mr Emmanuel Nnorom as the new chairman.
In a notice to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, the lender said Mr Elumelu’s successor, a non-executive director of the company, will assume the new role on August 21, 2026.
Mr Nnorom is a chartered accountant with over 40 years of experience in banking, finance and audit. He brings to the role extensive leadership experience and deep institutional knowledge of UBA.
“I am honoured by the trust the Board has placed in me and deeply conscious of the legacy I inherit.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues on the board, management and our staff across all our markets to sustain UBA’s momentum and continue delivering long-term value to our shareholders, customers and stakeholders,” Mr Nnorom stated.
Commenting on his retirement, Mr Elumelu said, “Serving United Bank for Africa has been one of the great privileges of my career.
“UBA has a unique competitive position, across Africa and globally, and I leave the Board with great confidence in UBA’s future.
“Emmanuel Nnorom is a leader of integrity, experience and sound judgement, and I am confident that the Bank will continue to thrive under his leadership.”
The board thanked him for his visionary leadership and exceptional contribution to the growth, transformation and institutional strength of the UBA Group.
By Adedapo Adesanya
WACT-APM Terminals Nigeria has announced the appointment of Mr Courage Obadagbonyi as Managing Director, effective July 1, 2026, succeeding Mr Jeethu Jose and becoming the first Nigerian to hold the post.
The appointment reflects the organisation’s continued focus on developing strong leadership from within its global talent pool while ensuring sustained growth and operational excellence.
A seasoned executive with more than two decades of international experience, Mr Obadagbonyi has held leadership roles across finance, operations and general management at leading global organisations, including APM Terminals, General Electric and Lafarge.
Prior to this appointment, he served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the APM Terminals Nigeria cluster, with responsibility for financial strategy across Nigeria and San Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire.
He also served in an acting capacity as Managing Director of APM Terminals Apapa between 2025 and March 2026, further strengthening his operational leadership experience.
With experience spanning sectors such as oil and gas, power generation, logistics and healthcare, Mr Obadagbonyi brings deep expertise in financial management, risk optimisation and business performance.
Speaking on his appointment, he said, “I look forward to building on the strong foundation already in place at WACT. The terminal plays a critical role in connecting businesses in Eastern Nigeria to global markets, and we will continue to focus on safe, reliable and efficient operations.”
On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, Mr Frederik Klinke, noted that the appointment reflects the company’s commitment to leadership development and long-term growth.
“Across APM Terminals globally, we see strong collaboration and talent development across our teams. This appointment reflects the depth of experience within our organisation and our continued focus on building capabilities that support sustainable growth. Nigerians have continued to distinguish themselves through exceptional performance and leadership. Colleagues from our Apapa and Onne terminals have contributed their expertise internationally while also bringing back valuable best practices to strengthen operations in Nigeria.”
He added that Mr Obadagbonyi’s experience would support the next phase of operational excellence and value delivery at WACT.
The outgoing MD, Mr Jose, said, “It has been a privilege to lead WACT-APM Terminals Nigeria during a period of meaningful progress. The team has built a strong platform for the future, and I am confident in the continued success of the organisation.”
West Africa Container Terminal (WACT)-APM Terminals in Onne, Rivers State, is one of Nigeria’s leading container terminals, having commenced commercial operations in 2006.
The company has continued to invest in capacity expansion and modernisation, including a $115 million terminal upgrade project launched in 2020. The upgrade also includes the deployment of reefer racks with a 600-plug capacity, as well as the expansion of the existing yard, a new workshop, a new terminal auto gate, modernised offices and state-of-the-art technology. These investments have enhanced efficiency, strengthened service delivery and reinforced WACT’s role as an important gateway for trade beyond Lagos.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A new member has joined the board of Unilever Nigeria Plc, and she is Mrs Modupe Femi-Okunbanjo, who was appointed as an executive director of the organisation.
Her appointment, according to a statement from the company, is effective June 30, 2026. It followed the resignation of Mr Ibrahim Sodipe as an executive director of the firm with effect from June 30, 2026.
Mr Sodipe was praised for his valuable service and significant contributions to the entity, particularly in driving improved turnover and profitability and supporting Unilever Nigeria’s continued progress towards sustainable and profitable growth.
Mrs Femi-Okunbanjo was described as an accomplished finance and governance leader who, for more than 15 years, has steered finance teams, shaped strategy, and strengthened risk management frameworks in the fast-moving consumer goods and telecommunications sectors.
She is currently the Financial Controller of Nigeria and Regional Controls Lead for West Africa at Unilever Nigeria, where she oversees financial governance, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk management.
Her work has been pivotal in embedding ethical leadership and data-driven decision-making at board level, while ensuring organisations remain resilient in the face of shifting market dynamics.
The new board member has established a reputation for elevating financial reporting, advancing audit excellence, and strengthening governance frameworks, thereby positioning organisations for sustainable growth and long-term value creation.
In her previous roles, she has a consistent track record of delivering margin expansion, enhancing governance & control environments, and leading transformation in challenging macroeconomic conditions.
She is equally committed to developing future talent and advancing financial literacy among younger generations.
Prior to her joining Unilever Nigeria Plc in 2018, Mrs Femi-Okunbanjo held key roles at UAC of Nigeria Plc, Helios Towers Nigeria, and Makasa Sun Nigeria Limited, where she pioneered control frameworks from the ground up, eliminating revenue leakages, digitising operations and embedding financial discipline.
A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Lagos State University and an MBA with Specialisation in Strategy from the Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, UK.
