By Yemi Sade lagos reporter

SkillsVerse Founder Peter Bassey Selected to Represent Global Shapers Community at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2026

Peter Bassey Okon, Founder of SkillsVerse, was selected from more than 400 applicants to represent the Global Shapers Community at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2026, held from 23 to 25 June in Dalian, China.

Peter joined leaders from business, government, academia and civil society at the meeting, which brought together more than 1,700 participants from over 90 countries under the theme, “Innovating at Scale.”

His selection followed a competitive application process within the Global Shapers Community. According to his official invitation, applicants were considered based on their contribution to the Community’s values and mission, involvement in local projects, ability to contribute to the meeting’s programme and professional expertise relevant to its themes.

For Peter, whose work spans digital transformation and education, the selection was closely connected to questions he has been working on through SkillsVerse: how professionals and businesses can build practical capabilities in artificial intelligence and digital skills, and how more Africans can participate meaningfully in a changing global economy.

“Being selected from more than 400 applicants was a real honour, but I was also very conscious of the responsibility that came with it,” Peter said. “I wanted to listen, contribute and understand what the conversations in Dalian could mean in practical terms for the people and businesses I work with back home.”

At the meeting, discussions ranged from artificial intelligence and the future of jobs to innovation, entrepreneurship and the challenge of turning new technologies into broad economic value.

While in Dalian, Peter also spoke during a Pre-AMNC open mic discussion themed “Shaping Next-Gen Youth Leadership in a Global Perspective,” where he reflected on the role of young leaders in navigating rapid technological and economic change.

One issue stood out to him: while access to AI is expanding quickly, the ability to turn that access into better work, stronger businesses and measurable economic value remains uneven.

“The biggest question for me is no longer whether people have heard about AI or even whether they have access to the tools,” he said. “It is whether they know what to do with them. Can a professional improve how they work? Can a business solve a real problem? Can an organisation prepare its people for what is changing? That is where the real gap is.”

That question is central to Peter’s work at SkillsVerse, the education technology platform he founded to expand access to practical AI, data and digital skills for individuals and organisations.

Peter’s participation at AMNC 2026 was also highlighted by the Global Shapers Community, which described him as a digital transformation leader and educator equipping professionals and entrepreneurs with practical AI and data skills for the future economy.

Reflecting on the experience, Peter said the value of participating in a meeting of this scale lies in what follows.

“Dalian gave me the opportunity to hear from people thinking about these changes from very different industries and parts of the world,” he said. “I came away with new questions, new perspectives and a stronger sense of urgency about the work ahead. The important part now is what we do with that.”

Following AMNC 2026, Peter will continue his work through SkillsVerse, with a focus on helping professionals, entrepreneurs and organisations move beyond awareness of artificial intelligence towards practical application.

For interviews and commentary on artificial intelligence, digital transformation, skills and the future of work in Africa, Peter Bassey is available for media engagements. Organisations seeking practical AI, data and digital skills training for their teams can also engage SkillsVerse for corporate learning and partnership opportunities.

About Peter Bassey

Peter Bassey Okon is a Nigerian digital transformation leader, educator and Founder of SkillsVerse, working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, data, digital transformation and workforce development.

For more than eight years, Peter has worked across digital strategy, transformation and skills education, helping professionals, entrepreneurs and businesses build practical capabilities for a changing economy. His experience includes delivering digital skills training through programmes such as Google Digital Skills for Africa and Boost with Facebook, alongside broader work in digital strategy, marketing and technology-led business growth.

Peter is a member of the Global Shapers Lagos Hub, part of the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum. In 2026, he was selected to represent the Community at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China.

Through SkillsVerse and his broader work, Peter is focused on how Africa can move beyond awareness of artificial intelligence to build the practical skills and capabilities needed to strengthen careers, businesses and economic opportunity.

Learn more about Peter Bassey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterbassey10

About SkillsVerse

SkillsVerse is an African education technology platform helping professionals, entrepreneurs and organisations build practical capabilities in artificial intelligence, data analysis and digital skills.

Founded by Peter Bassey, SkillsVerse was created to address the growing gap between access to emerging technologies and the ability to use them effectively. Its programmes focus on practical application, helping individuals and teams use AI, data and digital tools to improve how they work, make better decisions, solve business problems and prepare for changes in the workplace.

SkillsVerse delivers learning programmes for individuals and organisations, with an emphasis on practical, relevant and application-led education. Its work is focused on helping people move beyond simply learning about technology to using it meaningfully in their careers, businesses and organisations.