When you speak to Ayanfe Agbede, there’s a feeling you get that this is a lady driven by excellence and action. She is a product management graduate intern in AFEX’s Bar Raiser Program. In this article, she walks us through her internship experience at AFEX.

An avid lover of thrillers and a fashion enthusiast, the graduate of soil science from the University of Benin recounts how the journey to AFEX started.

“Before I joined AFEX, I worked as a research assistant for a data analysis consultant. I found out about the internship program through a friend that knows an AFEX employee. He just dropped the flyer in my DM, and I hopped on it.

As I look back on how my career started here, I believe I made the right decision to apply for the Bar Raiser Program because AFEX presented an opportunity for me to learn at a very fast pace. I am motivated by the pace of my growth here.

I remember when I was interviewed, I was nervous at first when I saw the number of people interviewing me. Then I realized they don’t bite. There were lots of questions asked and even though it was a lot, it was a learning point for me, and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Currently, I work as a product management intern, and I work on the Workbench system. In this role, I must wear many hearts and I am proud to take on every challenge. I have come to learn that prioritization is one important thing as a product manager and this learning curve for me has been satisfying.

My journey as a Bar Raiser has been smooth. I have learned that with the right support and mentorship you can get the work done effectively. I am surrounded by amazing and brilliant people in my corner that make it easy and enjoyable such as my work buddy and my senior colleague, Kamal, who never gets tired of explaining the commodities ecosystem to me.

If I were to name, the favorite thing I love about AFEX that would be the positive environment that you encounter at the company and the fact that excellence is a focal point for everyone. This is one of the few companies I know that gives room for career growth and I am not capping.

For future bar raisers who would love to join the company one day, AFEX is a place to be, however, don’t get so worked up, be expressive and be yourself. “