The 2025 Annual Directors’ Conference (ADC) of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria (CIoD Nigeria) concluded in grand style at the Abuja Continental Hotel, marking yet another milestone in Nigeria’s corporate leadership and governance landscape.
Themed “Leading Through Change: Building Sustainable and Inclusive Enterprises,” the two-day event gathered Nigeria and Africa’s foremost leaders — directors, policymakers, regulators, and entrepreneurs — for high-level conversations on leadership, governance, and enterprise transformation in an age of disruption.
The conference, widely regarded as Nigeria’s foremost boardroom gathering, featured keynote presentations, thought-provoking panel sessions, and strategic networking opportunities that connected public and private sector leaders in a shared commitment to shaping sustainable growth and ethical leadership.
Declaring the conference open, President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by Senator Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, described the ADC as a vital platform for governance dialogue and enterprise advancement.
“Leadership during transformation is not about maintaining the status quo but about charting bold, forward-looking paths,” the President stated.
He acknowledged the challenges of current economic reforms but reaffirmed their purpose in laying the foundation for long-term innovation, prosperity, and inclusion.
Otunba Adetunji Oyebanji, President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIoD Nigeria, reaffirmed the institute’s leadership role in promoting corporate governance and director development across Nigeria and Africa.
“Working together, we can build a New Nigeria that is economically viable, sustainable, and prosperous for all,” he said.
He urged directors to strengthen their commitment to ethical leadership, sustainability, and innovation as drivers of organizational and national progress.
“We are not just directors of companies; we are directors of Nigeria’s future,” Otunba Oyebanji, emphasised.
Dr. Kola Adesina, Group Managing Director, Sahara Power Group, in his keynote address, titled: “Nigeria and Africa’s Leadership Moment: From Boardroom to Nation-Building,” challenged directors to extend their influence beyond organizations into nation-building.
“Africa still appears as a faint glow from space because the wires that connect our potential to productivity are still broken,” he said,
He therefore called for transparency, inclusion, innovation, and policy alignment as leadership imperatives for the continent’s growth.
Later in at the Government-Meets-Business-Dinner, chaired by Lady Ada Chukwudozie, OON, Chairperson of Keystone Bank, leaders from government and business discussed the power of partnership in shaping national development.
“Governance is the unseen infrastructure that sustains enterprises and institutions,” Lady Chukwudozie noted, urging leaders to view sustainability as an investment, not a cost.
Prof. Uche Uwaleke, member of the Presidential Fiscal and Tax Reforms Committee, also on his part, called for policy predictability, integrity, and inclusive growth as key levers for national stability and enterprise confidence.
Otunba Bimbola Ashiru, Chairman, National Organising Committee, praised the success of the conference, describing it as “a catalyst for translating ideas into action.”
He commended the CIoD Secretariat and partners for their dedication, emphasizing that “effective governance and sustainable enterprise require synergy between government and business.”
The event was graced by Mr. Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Mrs. Gladys Talabi, Non-Executive Director, Julius Berger Plc; Mr. Kunle Elebute, Chairman, Gerrard Capital Advisory; Mr. Adedotun Sulaiman, Former Chairman, Financial Reporting Council; and Aisha Rimi, Executive Secretary/CEO, NIPC — among others.
