As professionals advance into roles carrying greater responsibility, the skills that once defined their success often fall short of what leadership demands.

Hardé Business School, which focuses on practical business and leadership capabilities beyond traditional pathways, is placing renewed emphasis on leadership development for managers, executives, and entrepreneurs who must now manage people, make strategic decisions, influence outcomes, and navigate increasingly complex environments.

“The next level of leadership requires more than experience. It requires strategic thinking, sound judgement, and the ability to execute in complex environments,” Hardé said in announcing the opening of registration for the February 2027 cohort of its Business Leadership Executive Programme (BLEP). (Please add in the link for this. I attached it in the document I shared.)

The programme targets mid-career managers and executives. It combines live virtual sessions, self-paced learning, and a capstone project designed for real-world application.

The curriculum covers personal effectiveness, communication, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, design thinking, leadership, negotiation, business strategy, and finance for business leaders.

According to Hardé, the program (not programme) is structured as a response to a common career transition: moving from individual output to accountability for people, decisions, and broader organisational results.

Hardé Business School’s Chief Executive Officer, Dami Oguntunde, has previously framed the challenge as one in which many professionals assume significant responsibility before receiving the tools to lead effectively.

“Many professionals carry responsibility before they receive the structure to lead well. BLEP gives them that structure,” Oguntunde said.

In an earlier interview, he noted that leadership gaps can affect decision-making, team management, and long-term business growth as organisations expand.

The program is intended to help business owners, managers, executives, and emerging leaders strengthen those capabilities.

Participants from the February 2026 cohort illustrated the shift. Olufunke Tonye-Preghafi, Chief Financial Officer at Quomodo Systems Africa, was named the cohort’s Most Valuable Leader after ranking sixth academically among 78 participants and leading the Innovators team. “I came in as a traditionally ‘smart’ professional, but this experience challenged me to think deeper, lead better, and show up differently,” she said.

Ojinika Shote, a Senior Manager at Stanbic IBTC, also said the program helped her reflect on how she leads, and supports members of her team, stating that the session on emotional intelligence gave her practical strategies for building a more cohesive and effective team.

Chukwudi Nwosu said the program clarified the link between leadership, strategy, and execution, encouraging him to weigh how decisions affect his team and wider objectives.

Hardé’s model pairs practitioner-led teaching with application. Facilitators are active professionals in the subjects they teach, and the capstone project is assessed on real-world relevance rather than attendance alone. The school says this approach helps participants translate learning into decisions, team management, and responses to the demands of senior roles.

Registration is now open for the February 2027 BLEP cohort.

Hardé is inviting professionals preparing for greater leadership responsibility, already managing teams, or moving into more senior positions to apply.

Hardé Business School provides executive education and early-career professional training for professionals in Nigeria and across Africa. Its programmes combine live learning, self-paced study and real-world application, with a focus on building practical capabilities for the workplace.

The school offers executive programmes, early-career training, corporate learning and professional development initiatives.

For more information about BLEP and the February 2027 cohort, visit the Hardé Business School website, apply through the BLEP application page, or contact the school +2349135000567