The Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and other stakeholders have renewed calls for stronger ethical governance across corporate boards as Nigeria faces technological, economic, and environmental disruptions.
The call was made during the 20th anniversary corporate governance conference of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (SCGN), themed “Strengthening Ethical Governance in a Disrupted World.”
Representing the FRC Executive Secretary, Titus Osawe identified major threats to ethical governance, including greenwashing, data manipulation, artificial intelligence, and digital disruption. He urged organisations to embed ethics in their leadership structures.
“Strengthening ethical governance is a collective responsibility,” he said. “We must prioritise integrity, transparency, and accountability as foundations for a sustainable national future.”
The SEC Director-General, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, represented by John Briggs, stressed that corporate governance and sustainability now define long-term value creation and resilience. “Sound governance has transcended compliance; it is now central to national development,” he said, adding that institutions must embed ethics and inclusiveness into their operational DNA.
Board Chair of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Dr. Omobola Johnson, who delivered the keynote address, said diversity was essential for ethical and effective decision-making. “Diverse boards ensure richer discussions and guard against uniform thinking that leads to poor judgment,” she said.
SCGN President, Muhammed Ahmad, highlighted the growing need for ethical clarity amid rapid digital transformation. “Ethics is not just about compliance but about doing what is right even when it is difficult,” he stated.
Founding director Professor Pat Utomi underscored the importance of moral conscience in leadership, calling for the courage to “speak truth to power” in both corporate and public governance.
The event also featured a high-level panel with notable figures such as Taiwo Oyedele, Kim Anderson, Yeside Kazeem, and Suzanne Iroche, alongside the launch of three publications on governance and sustainability.
