Imagine you are leading a team where talent isn’t just hired – it is deliberately grown. That is coaching, mentoring, and development in action. More than buzzwords, these practices shape careers, boost retention, and build high-performing organisations – especially in Nigeria’s fast-evolving corporate scene.
In Bonny, for instance, Nigeria LNG’s coaching and mentoring initiative led to a 74% increase in on-the-job performance and a 67% reduction in turnover among staff. And at Sterling Bank, recognised as Nigeria’s top employer, new leadership coaching is embedded in their talent pipeline – powering growth and engagement.
As famed coach Fred Manske noted:
“The ultimate leader is one who is willing to develop people to the point that they eventually surpass him or her in knowledge and ability.”
So, let’s unpack how coaching, mentoring, and development can turn ordinary staff into extraordinary leaders.
1. What’s the Difference – and Why It Matters
- Coaching involves targeted, time-bound conversations to help individuals enhance specific skills or reach goals.
- Mentoring is broader – often long-term – focused on career advice, values, and professional identity.
- Development includes formal training, job rotations, and workshops – both technical and soft skills.
Each complements the others: coaching sharpens abilities, mentoring builds wisdom, and structured development provides foundations. Together, they create an ecosystem where employees thrive.
2. Coaching in Nigeria: Executive Edge
Nigeria’s corporate world is waking up to coaching’s impact. LinkedIn reports that Nigeria’s coaching market is booming, with business schools integrating it into MBA programmes and companies sponsoring leaders to get coaches.
At Sterling Bank, every leader undergoes coaching to manage team performance and succession planning – part of their culture of innovation and talent maximization. Globally, leaders supported by coaching report higher confidence and resilience – but the biggest win? They develop their own people to match or exceed their capabilities.
3. Mentoring: Nigeria’s Winning Tradition
Mentoring takes many forms in Nigeria – from the Ukwuani/Igbo apprentice system (Igba-Odibo) to corporate programs at Fidelity Bank and KPMG.
At Fidelity Bank, a formal mentoring scheme helped junior staff deepen their professionalism and strategic thinking – aligning next-gen potential with corporate goals.
As Denzel Washington once said:
“A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you.”
In practice, that means pairing entry-level hires with senior staff for six months—sharing insights, feedback, and encouragement. It’s a catalytic relationship that pays dividends.
4. Structured Development: Building Skills & Commitment
Training programs help standardize competence and spark innovation. W.TEC in Lagos, for example, empowers young women in STEM through camps, mentorship, and hands-on tech experience – the perfect blend of training, coaching, and mentoring.
Studies of Lagos SMEs show structured mentoring and coaching raise performance and commitment, up to 70% – and ignite organizational citizenship behaviors.
When hard skills meet soft, employees transform from effective task-doers to leaders who drive culture and results.
5. The Business Case: Why Investing Works
- Productivity Gains: NLNG staff performance improved by 74%, turnover declined by 68%.
- Commitment and Citizenship: Coaching in Lagos SMEs predicted higher job loyalty and discretionary work.
- Leadership Depth: McCormicks highlight that mentoring leaves lasting legacies when everyday mentors elevate others with trust, feedback, and confidence.
Simply put: developing people increases productivity, loyalty, and long-term success.
6. Quote That Sticks
As Dina McCormick reflects on her book Who Believed in You?:
“…a mentor is someone who helps someone get on the right path, make the right difference, have the right level of fulfillment.”
That purpose – helping others thrive – is what makes coaching and mentoring transformative.
7. How to Launch Your Programme
| Step | Action |
| Diagnose Needs | Use surveys, appraisals, or cohort feedback to identify development focus areas. |
| Define Roles | Clarify expectations for coach, mentor, and participant roles. |
| Train the Helpers | Equip managers and mentors with coaching skills, active listening, and feedback techniques. |
| Match Thoughtfully | Pair mentees and mentors by goals, experience, and personality. |
| Support, Don’t Dictate | Provide resources like coaching time, guides, and check-in structures. |
| Measure Progress | Track skill growth, retention rates, satisfaction scores. NLNG’s stats offer a strong benchmark. |
| 7. Scale Up | Recognize mentors, incentivize learning, and build a culture of developing others. |
- Andela accelerated software developer growth by pairing new hires with experienced devs – resulting in global placements and enhanced credibility.
- Pepsi Football Academy has nurtured players like Mikel Obi through coach-led training and mentoring – turning local talent into international stars.
- YIL Fellowship mentors young innovators to lead projects across public health and education – modeling structured mentoring for leadership development.
Conclusion
Coaching, mentoring, and development aren’t HR checkboxes—they’re strategic levers that multiply performance, loyalty, and innovation. From Bonny to Lagos, these practices are proving that when we invest in people, we invest in futures—ours and theirs.
Remember Fred Manske’s words:
“The ultimate leader is one who is willing to develop people to the point that they eventually surpass him or her in knowledge and ability.”
Yes, that includes giving them wings to fly – and then celebrating when they soar.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, HR leader, or team manager, embedding coaching, mentoring, and structured development will transform your organization. It builds resilience, drives growth, and establishes legacies.
So ask yourself: who will you develop today?
Contributed by Agolo Eugene Uzorka, a Human Resource Consultant and Content Writer.
