The Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria has urged companies to move sustainability from a reporting and compliance function into core business strategy as economic, climate, and regulatory pressures reshape the operating environment.Speaking at the institute’s inaugural Sustainability Conference in Lagos, President of SPIN, Prof. Kenneth Amaeshi, said sustainability frameworks needed to reflect Nigeria’s economic and institutional realities rather than simply replicate standards developed in other markets.“Let us not make sustainability another form of imperialism travelling around the world. We must contextualise it to meet our needs,” Amaeshi said.The conference, held under the theme ‘The Adaptive Enterprise: Sustainability Strategies for Challenging Times’, brought together business executives, policymakers, investors, financial institutions and sustainability professionals to examine how companies can remain resilient while creating long-term value.The discussions highlighted a growing shift in the role of sustainability within corporate decision-making.Rather than treating environmental, social and governance issues as a separate reporting exercise, speakers argued that companies should incorporate them into investment decisions, risk management, capital allocation and corporate governance.Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Kolawole Owodunni, who delivered the keynote on behalf of NSIA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said companies were operating amid an increasingly uncertain combination of economic volatility, climate change, geopolitical tensions, technological disruption and regulatory change.“Sustainability can no longer sit at the margins. It must be central to how organisations make decisions,” he said.For investors, the issue is increasingly commercial. Climate risks, resource constraints, changing regulations and shifting consumer and investor expectations can affect operating costs, supply chains, access to markets and ultimately the value of companies.Owodunni said sustainable finance should therefore be viewed more broadly than the issuance of green bonds, encompassing governance, transparency and environmental and social risk management.He argued that Africa’s structural challenges could also create investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure and climate resilience.The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Speaking at the institute’s inaugural Sustainability Conference in Lagos, President of SPIN, Prof. Kenneth Amaeshi, said sustainability frameworks needed to reflect Nigeria’s economic and institutional realities rather than simply replicate standards developed in other markets.“Let us not make sustainability another form of imperialism travelling around the world. We must contextualise it to meet our needs,” Amaeshi said.The conference, held under the theme ‘The Adaptive Enterprise: Sustainability Strategies for Challenging Times’, brought together business executives, policymakers, investors, financial institutions and sustainability professionals to examine how companies can remain resilient while creating long-term value.The discussions highlighted a growing shift in the role of sustainability within corporate decision-making.Rather than treating environmental, social and governance issues as a separate reporting exercise, speakers argued that companies should incorporate them into investment decisions, risk management, capital allocation and corporate governance.Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Kolawole Owodunni, who delivered the keynote on behalf of NSIA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said companies were operating amid an increasingly uncertain combination of economic volatility, climate change, geopolitical tensions, technological disruption and regulatory change.“Sustainability can no longer sit at the margins. It must be central to how organisations make decisions,” he said.For investors, the issue is increasingly commercial. Climate risks, resource constraints, changing regulations and shifting consumer and investor expectations can affect operating costs, supply chains, access to markets and ultimately the value of companies.Owodunni said sustainable finance should therefore be viewed more broadly than the issuance of green bonds, encompassing governance, transparency and environmental and social risk management.He argued that Africa’s structural challenges could also create investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure and climate resilience.The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. “Let us not make sustainability another form of imperialism travelling around the world. We must contextualise it to meet our needs,” Amaeshi said.The conference, held under the theme ‘The Adaptive Enterprise: Sustainability Strategies for Challenging Times’, brought together business executives, policymakers, investors, financial institutions and sustainability professionals to examine how companies can remain resilient while creating long-term value.The discussions highlighted a growing shift in the role of sustainability within corporate decision-making.Rather than treating environmental, social and governance issues as a separate reporting exercise, speakers argued that companies should incorporate them into investment decisions, risk management, capital allocation and corporate governance.Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Kolawole Owodunni, who delivered the keynote on behalf of NSIA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said companies were operating amid an increasingly uncertain combination of economic volatility, climate change, geopolitical tensions, technological disruption and regulatory change.“Sustainability can no longer sit at the margins. It must be central to how organisations make decisions,” he said.For investors, the issue is increasingly commercial. Climate risks, resource constraints, changing regulations and shifting consumer and investor expectations can affect operating costs, supply chains, access to markets and ultimately the value of companies.Owodunni said sustainable finance should therefore be viewed more broadly than the issuance of green bonds, encompassing governance, transparency and environmental and social risk management.He argued that Africa’s structural challenges could also create investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure and climate resilience.The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. The conference, held under the theme ‘The Adaptive Enterprise: Sustainability Strategies for Challenging Times’, brought together business executives, policymakers, investors, financial institutions and sustainability professionals to examine how companies can remain resilient while creating long-term value.The discussions highlighted a growing shift in the role of sustainability within corporate decision-making.Rather than treating environmental, social and governance issues as a separate reporting exercise, speakers argued that companies should incorporate them into investment decisions, risk management, capital allocation and corporate governance.Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Kolawole Owodunni, who delivered the keynote on behalf of NSIA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said companies were operating amid an increasingly uncertain combination of economic volatility, climate change, geopolitical tensions, technological disruption and regulatory change.“Sustainability can no longer sit at the margins. It must be central to how organisations make decisions,” he said.For investors, the issue is increasingly commercial. Climate risks, resource constraints, changing regulations and shifting consumer and investor expectations can affect operating costs, supply chains, access to markets and ultimately the value of companies.Owodunni said sustainable finance should therefore be viewed more broadly than the issuance of green bonds, encompassing governance, transparency and environmental and social risk management.He argued that Africa’s structural challenges could also create investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure and climate resilience.The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. The discussions highlighted a growing shift in the role of sustainability within corporate decision-making.Rather than treating environmental, social and governance issues as a separate reporting exercise, speakers argued that companies should incorporate them into investment decisions, risk management, capital allocation and corporate governance.Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Kolawole Owodunni, who delivered the keynote on behalf of NSIA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said companies were operating amid an increasingly uncertain combination of economic volatility, climate change, geopolitical tensions, technological disruption and regulatory change.“Sustainability can no longer sit at the margins. It must be central to how organisations make decisions,” he said.For investors, the issue is increasingly commercial. Climate risks, resource constraints, changing regulations and shifting consumer and investor expectations can affect operating costs, supply chains, access to markets and ultimately the value of companies.Owodunni said sustainable finance should therefore be viewed more broadly than the issuance of green bonds, encompassing governance, transparency and environmental and social risk management.He argued that Africa’s structural challenges could also create investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure and climate resilience.The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Rather than treating environmental, social and governance issues as a separate reporting exercise, speakers argued that companies should incorporate them into investment decisions, risk management, capital allocation and corporate governance.Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Kolawole Owodunni, who delivered the keynote on behalf of NSIA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said companies were operating amid an increasingly uncertain combination of economic volatility, climate change, geopolitical tensions, technological disruption and regulatory change.“Sustainability can no longer sit at the margins. It must be central to how organisations make decisions,” he said.For investors, the issue is increasingly commercial. Climate risks, resource constraints, changing regulations and shifting consumer and investor expectations can affect operating costs, supply chains, access to markets and ultimately the value of companies.Owodunni said sustainable finance should therefore be viewed more broadly than the issuance of green bonds, encompassing governance, transparency and environmental and social risk management.He argued that Africa’s structural challenges could also create investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure and climate resilience.The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Kolawole Owodunni, who delivered the keynote on behalf of NSIA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said companies were operating amid an increasingly uncertain combination of economic volatility, climate change, geopolitical tensions, technological disruption and regulatory change.“Sustainability can no longer sit at the margins. It must be central to how organisations make decisions,” he said.For investors, the issue is increasingly commercial. Climate risks, resource constraints, changing regulations and shifting consumer and investor expectations can affect operating costs, supply chains, access to markets and ultimately the value of companies.Owodunni said sustainable finance should therefore be viewed more broadly than the issuance of green bonds, encompassing governance, transparency and environmental and social risk management.He argued that Africa’s structural challenges could also create investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure and climate resilience.The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. “Sustainability can no longer sit at the margins. It must be central to how organisations make decisions,” he said.For investors, the issue is increasingly commercial. Climate risks, resource constraints, changing regulations and shifting consumer and investor expectations can affect operating costs, supply chains, access to markets and ultimately the value of companies.Owodunni said sustainable finance should therefore be viewed more broadly than the issuance of green bonds, encompassing governance, transparency and environmental and social risk management.He argued that Africa’s structural challenges could also create investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure and climate resilience.The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. For investors, the issue is increasingly commercial. Climate risks, resource constraints, changing regulations and shifting consumer and investor expectations can affect operating costs, supply chains, access to markets and ultimately the value of companies.Owodunni said sustainable finance should therefore be viewed more broadly than the issuance of green bonds, encompassing governance, transparency and environmental and social risk management.He argued that Africa’s structural challenges could also create investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure and climate resilience.The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Owodunni said sustainable finance should therefore be viewed more broadly than the issuance of green bonds, encompassing governance, transparency and environmental and social risk management.He argued that Africa’s structural challenges could also create investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure and climate resilience.The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. He argued that Africa’s structural challenges could also create investment opportunities, particularly in sectors such as energy, healthcare, infrastructure and climate resilience.The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. The shift towards sustainability is also raising expectations of the professionals responsible for implementing it. Owodunni said practitioners would need a combination of financial, regulatory, data, climate-risk and impact-measurement skills, alongside an understanding of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. The conference’s first panel focused on the difficulty of embedding sustainability within corporate structures.Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Partner, ESG and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Marilyn Obasa-Osula pointed to fragmented responsibilities within organisations and the importance of securing board and chief financial officer support.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, highlighted gaps between policy development and implementation. He also pointed to ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme on a Nigeria-specific taxonomy for green investments.Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Executive Director, Risk, FirstBank Group, Biyi Olagbami, said compliance should be regarded as a minimum requirement rather than a source of competitive advantage. He also warned against applying international sustainability standards without adapting them to local conditions.Related NewsReliable financial reporting crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability – VPPFAs, insurers targeted as IIF mobilises SME capitalNDC candidate warns Lagos faces rising flood risk over blocked drainsChief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Chief Executive of CSR-in-Action, Dr Bekeme Masade-Olowola, said the effectiveness of sustainability programmes should ultimately be judged by how organisations allocate capital, make decisions and hold executives accountable.The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. The commercial implications were also central to discussions on the future sustainability workforce.Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Executive Director and Partner, ESG and Climate Change at EY West Africa, Eunice Sampson, said corporate leaders increasingly wanted sustainability professionals to answer three questions: what is the risk, what regulation applies, and what value does the initiative create?Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Director of External Affairs and Social Performance at Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe, argued that sustainability should be treated as a component of risk management and corporate strategy rather than as a cost centre.Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Both speakers called for greater board ownership and a shift away from corporate social responsibility programmes focused on isolated charitable initiatives towards material issues with measurable outcomes.The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. The conference also examined the challenge of attracting capital into projects designed to generate both financial and social returns.Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Chief Executive of Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, said impact investors were looking for measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns. She argued that Africa’s financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital but also structural barriers that prevent capital from reaching viable opportunities.Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Deputy Chair of the SPIN Executive Council, Eustace Onuegbu, said ESG should serve as a measurement platform while sustainability needed to be embedded across an organisation and driven by senior leadership.The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. The emphasis on professional standards reflects SPIN’s broader ambition to formalise the sustainability profession in Nigeria.Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. Vice President of SPIN, Dr Ini Abimbola, announced plans by the institute to pursue chartered status and establish a formal licensing framework for practitioners, supported by continuing professional development.“Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. “Sustainability is not an addendum. Sustainability is governance. Sustainability is business,” Abimbola emphasised.The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. The move comes as companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that sustainability commitments translate into measurable changes in business practices rather than remaining confined to annual reports and corporate communications.For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. For Nigerian businesses, the challenge is likely to be balancing international expectations with domestic economic realities. Speakers at the conference argued that global standards remain important for comparability and access to capital, but their effectiveness depends on whether they are adapted to local conditions.The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. The conference, supported by FirstBank, IHS Towers and Seplat Energy, therefore placed the emphasis not only on what companies report but on how sustainability influences board decisions, investment priorities and risk management.For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour. For SPIN, the next test will be whether the principles discussed at its inaugural conference can translate into stronger professional standards and measurable changes in corporate behaviour.