Mentors
Learn from Industry Experts
Project 1500 believes that mentorship is essential for professional growth and career success. The program connects participants with experienced professionals who offer guidance, share industry insights, and provide support in career development. Mentors help learners navigate challenges, gain practical knowledge, and build strong professional networks that open doors to new opportunities.
Why Mentorship Matters
Personalized Guidance
One-on-one and group mentorship sessions designed to provide tailored career advice and support
Agile and ScrumPractical Insights
Direct access to professionals with real-world experience in various industries
Career Development
Opportunities to learn from industry leaders and gain exposure to career-enhancing networks
Meet Our Mentors
Taopheek Babayeju
Taopheek BABAYEJU, PMI Person of the Year 2024, is a Transformation Expert, Management and Technology Professional with over two decades of experience spanning strategy, agile, digital and organisational transformation, project, program and portfolio management, PMO delivery, technology consulting, information security, change management, and learning and development.
He is a trusted executive advisor with a strong ability to understand value creation across multiple levels, supporting organisations in achieving their strategic goals. Taopheek has led high-impact transformation projects and managed multi-million-dollar portfolios, delivering results across sectors such as information technology, telecommunications, finance, agriculture, health, education, government, development, and SMEs.
Over the past decade, he has built communities and co-founded social enterprises including LeadPreneur, a platform dedicated to raising transformational leaders and entrepreneurs, and the Pheek Foundation, which promotes empowerment-driven social impact. He also serves on the boards of not-for-profit organisations such as Glovis Entrepreneurship & Leadership Development (GELD) and Triola Aina Foundation.
Taopheek is a member of the Forbes Business Council, a startup advisor, and an angel investor. He is also a published author, a contributor to Forbes Magazine, and a columnist at BusinessDay Newspaper, among other platforms.
Esther Lolo
Esther Shirley Atitebi is a Certified Project Manager, Business Consultant, Learning and Development Professional, and Agile Practitioner with over a decade of experience in management consulting. She has worked with clients across the public, private, and development sectors, consistently delivering value through strategic and structured interventions.
She has a proven track record in managing projects and leading engagements focused on business and agile transformation, strategy development, policy documentation, information security, risk and performance management, and organisational capacity assessment.
Esther has successfully managed B2B and B2C engagements, delivering over 100 capacity development programs and overseeing high-value project portfolios exceeding $600,000. As an authorised training instructor with the Project Management Institute (PMI), she has trained more than 1,000 professionals in Project Management best practices. She has also coached and mentored individuals in the UK, Canada, the USA, and Nigeria, guiding them to pass the PMP certification exam on their first attempt.
She holds a double degree in Economics and Management from Monash University, South Africa, an Honours in Economics from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and an MBA from Nile University of Nigeria. Esther is also an active member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).
Currently, she serves as a Manager in the Core Business Department at iCentra, where she leads the Solutions Unit. This unit focuses on transforming organisations and providing business solutions that improve performance. She is passionate about enabling both organisations and individuals to achieve excellence through structured methodologies, continuous improvement, and knowledge-driven leadership.
Lum Niba Ayinwi Ambe
Lum Niba Ayinwi Ambe is a Project Management Professional, Transformation Expert, Human Resources Business Partner, Learning and Development Specialist, and Agile Coach. With a strong background in program management, project implementation, organisational and agile transformation, HR strategy, administration, operations, and training delivery, she brings broad expertise across core business areas.
She has led and managed engagements valued at over $600,000, with solid experience in both B2B and B2C business engagements and capacity development. Her track record includes delivering more than 100 training and consulting engagements with consistent success.
As an authorised PMI training instructor, Lum has facilitated multiple trainings and trained over 1,000 professionals in project management and agile best practices. She has also coached and mentored individuals in the UK, Canada, the USA, and Nigeria, helping them pass the PMP, PMI-ACP, and DASM certification exams on their first attempt.
Lum holds a BSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Buea, a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management and Development (First Class) from the Pan African Institute for Development, West Africa (PAID-WA), and an MSc in Regional Planning, Development, and Project Management (First Class) from the same institution.
She is currently a Manager in the Business Core unit at iCentra Solutions and leads the global learning and development team at iCentra. Her team focuses on meeting the learning needs of organisations and individuals through executive workshops, corporate training, on-demand learning, bootcamps, and open classes.
Sola Magaji
Sola Magaji is an accomplished facilitator, coach, and trainer with over 15 years of experience designing and delivering impactful capacity-building initiatives across Africa. With a strong foundation in adult learning methodologies, organisational development, and participatory training approaches, Sola has led numerous programmes aimed at strengthening the capabilities of individuals, teams, and institutions in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Her expertise spans leadership development, project management, financial management, entrepreneurship, strategic planning, inclusive economic growth, and gender-responsive programming. She has coached emerging leaders and senior professionals alike, empowering them with the tools and confidence to drive change in their organisations and communities. Sola is particularly skilled at tailoring training content to local contexts, ensuring relevance, ownership, and long-term effectiveness.
Whether working with government ministries, donor-funded programmes, or grassroots organisations, Sola brings a collaborative, learner-focused approach to capacity development, fostering environments where innovation, accountability, and growth can thrive. Her facilitation style is engaging and practical, enabling participants to apply knowledge immediately to their work.
Isaiah Amonye
Isaiah Amonye is an excellent Project manager, facilitator, and data analyst with seven years of valuable industry experience in local and regional program initiation and implementation.
With his 7 years of cognate experience in data, project and programs facilitation in the private and development sector, a Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics, Project Management Certification, data science certification, a post graduate certification on civic engagement from the university of Georgia and a current master’s program in international development, Isaiah Amonye has expanded his career in advancing program implementation locally and internationally through strategic data-driven methodologies.
Currently, he works as a facilitator, program manager, and data management expert, strengthening the management of public, private, and community-based projects for enhancing citizen and institutional growth through policy reforms and advocacy.
As a facilitator, program and data management expert, he has collaboratively worked with relevant stakeholders, including the EU, USAID, UKAID, NDI, Microsoft, Kwara and Gombe State Governments, Government Agencies, PLAC, MacArthur Foundation, WRAPA, NWTF, Jobberman, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria.
Within the past years, He has promoted exponential growth and expanded portfolios under his leadership across all 36 States in Nigeria, facilitating the development of a strategic plan to expand operations beyond Nigeria.
Within this period, Isaiah Amonye has led and managed major partnership deals to seal 6 distinct digital literacy schemes for youths across 36 states, facilitated the successful implementation of 14 successful election observation programs in across all 6 geo zones, managed an Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) project at the Central Bank of Nigeria, and currently leading a team on a Mac Arthur Funded project in Nigeria.
His core facilitation skill areas and experiential impacts are in project management, data analysis, and training on administrative/operational productivity. Under his leadership across these multifaceted programs, over 2,000,000 youths, marginalized communities, entrepreneurs, and professionals have been primed for growth across all 36 Nigerian states and other African countries, directly and indirectly, with a strengthened local structure to facilitate sustainability.
Nwachinemelu N. Ibeagwa
Nwachinemelu N. Ibeagwa (PMP®), PMI-CP, PMI-SCP) is a Project Manager with 15+ years of experience managing projects, working with Anambra State Government as a Building Technical Supervisor, working in the Anambra State Physical Planning Board. He is also a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Building. He is also certified by the Project Management Institute as a Project Management Professional, Construction Project Manager, and Senior Construction Professional.