Volume 2, Issue 1, 2026

STRATEGIC TALENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN THE NIGERIAN TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY

Anthony Ayodele AJALA

Abstract

Despite the growing investments in talent management initiatives,
organisations have continued to experience challenges relating to
employee engagement and performance. While previous studies
have established links between talent management and
organisational outcomes, limited empirical attention has been
given to the mediating role of employee engagement within the
Nigerian telecommunications sector. A quantitative survey
research design was adopted for the study. The population
comprised 3,000 employees from MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria
in Lagos State. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, a sample size of 353
respondents was determined and selected through a stratified
random sampling technique to ensure adequate representation
across the selected organisations. Data were collected using a
structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The
instrument was subjected to validity and reliability tests, yielding
an overall Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.89. Data collected
were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product
Moment Correlation, regression analysis, and mediation analysis
with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)
Version 27. The findings revealed that talent acquisition has a
significant positive effect on organisational performance. Also,
talent development significantly influences employee engagement,
and employee engagement significantly influences organisational
performance. Additional, employee engagement significantly
mediates the relationship between strategic talent management
practices and organisational performance, suggesting that talent
management initiatives enhance organisational outcomes both
directly and indirectly through increased employee engagement.
The study concludes that strategic talent management practices
are critical drivers of organisational performance and therefore
recommends that, MTN and Airtel Nigeria should strengthen their
talent acquisition systems, invest in continuous talent development
programmes, and implement employee engagement initiatives that
promote commitment, innovation, and productivity.

Keywords

Digital workplace, Employee engagement, Organisational performance, Strategic talent management practices, Talent acquisition, Talent development

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