Building a Prosperous Future Through ESG Innovation
Under the theme "Building a Prosperous Future: Unlocking Growth Opportunities Through Sustainability and ESG Innovation," the conference is designed to be a catalyst for strategic conversations and intersectoral collaboration. It seeks to galvanize leaders across various sectors to adopt ESG principles not just as optional guidelines, but as fundamental to achieving operational excellence and driving societal transformation.
The event will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from government agencies, regulatory bodies, corporations, ESG experts, multilateral institutions, academia, and civil society organizations. Together, they will explore how the ESG agenda can serve as a blueprint for inclusive growth, corporate accountability, responsible governance, and long-term resilience in the face of global and local uncertainties.
The Urgency of ESG Adoption in Africa
In recent years, the global conversation around sustainability has shifted from whether organizations should embrace it to how quickly and effectively they can do so. Africa, with its unique socio-economic landscape, stands at a crucial juncture. The continent faces pressing challenges such as climate change, social inequality, and governance deficiencies, all of which necessitate coordinated action. FITC is stepping up to lead this charge by orchestrating high-level engagement platforms like this upcoming ESG Conference.
Dr. Chizor Malize, Managing Director/CEO of FITC, emphasized the criticality of ESG, stating, "At FITC, we understand that ESG is no longer a nice-to-have—it is a business imperative. This conference reinforces our commitment to leading the ESG discourse across Africa and connecting stakeholders to actionable solutions that can transform institutions and society."
FITC's Commitment to Sustainability Thought Leadership
This flagship conference is hosted under the auspices of the FITC Sustainability & ESG Institute, which was launched in 2024. The Institute serves as a dedicated knowledge hub for sustainability in Africa, offering research, capacity building, and practical tools to empower organizations in navigating the evolving ESG landscape.
At the Institute's launch, leading ESG figures in Nigeria underscored the urgent need for deliberate action. Professor Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, OFR, a renowned governance expert, highlighted the importance of integrating governance into board strategy, remarking, "Governance is vital for boards to incorporate into strategy formulation and appraisal processes. It ensures that the enterprise sustains itself and effectively addresses relevant ESG aspects." This sentiment remains highly relevant as organizations worldwide re-evaluate corporate governance through an ESG lens.
The conference will delve beyond policy recommendations to highlight concrete business applications and case studies. Delegates will examine how ESG practices are being integrated into risk frameworks, investment strategies, regulatory expectations, and reporting standards, particularly with the increasing global traction of frameworks like the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
A key mandate of the FITC Sustainability & ESG Institute is to debunk the misconception that ESG is merely a compliance checklist. Oluwasoromidayo George, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director at Coca-Cola HBC, reinforced this at the Institute's launch, stating, "ESG is not enough to simply discuss sustainability; companies must actively demonstrate their commitment through concrete actions. This is essential for success in today’s business environment."
Bridging Global Frameworks with Local Realities
The FITC ESG Conference will serve as a crucial bridge between global frameworks and local realities. Africa, with its vast uncultivated arable land, significant renewable energy potential, and a predominantly young population, possesses a unique opportunity to forge a green and inclusive economic future. However, without deliberate action, these assets could be undermined by environmental degradation, weak institutions, and a lack of strategic foresight.
In this context, FITC has positioned itself as a pan-African knowledge economy enabler. Through its research initiatives, policy advisory services, ESG tools like ESGps, and curated learning programs for executives and boards, FITC is actively creating the conditions for a governance and sustainability revolution to take root across the continent.
Ms. Ibiene Okeleke, Managing Director of the Energy Training Centre, emphasized that ESG should be viewed not as a burden but as a strategic advantage tailored to an organization's unique context. Her remarks underscore the importance of localizing ESG implementation, a pragmatic approach that aligns perfectly with FITC’s philosophy of translating international frameworks into solutions relevant to African institutions, economies, and communities.
A Platform for Collaboration and Continuous Improvement
The 2025 ESG Conference is designed to foster tangible partnerships, collaborative projects, and industry benchmarks. Beyond keynote speeches and fireside chats, participants will engage in high-level breakout sessions, exhibitions of cutting-edge ESG solutions, and curated networking forums aimed at forging new alliances among regulators, investors, and implementers.
A core message of the event is that sustainability is an ongoing journey, and every organization, regardless of its size or stage, bears the responsibility of continuous improvement. As Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, Head of Sustainability at Access Bank Plc, shared at the Institute’s launch, "Understanding that sustainability and ESG are journeys is reassuring; there's always room for improvement."
This spirit of continuous evolution also defines FITC’s broader strategy. Over four decades, FITC has grown from a training provider for Nigeria’s banking sector into an innovation-driven professional services firm serving clients across finance, education, public service, and enterprise. FITC’s convening power is backed by the credibility of its founding by the Bankers’ Committee, which includes the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), and all deposit money banks in the country.
The upcoming conference will feature thought leaders and speakers from prominent institutions such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), NGX Regulation Ltd., PwC, Seplat Energy, WEMA Bank, Lagos Business School, and the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria. Their contributions will span a wide range of topics, from policy strategy and institutional governance to financial disclosures, green investments, and cross-sectoral collaborations.
Femi Awoyemi, Founder and Chairman of Proshare Limited, echoed a call to action, advising organizations to seize the moment to lead with purpose, innovate with conviction, and act with urgency. The work undertaken at the Sustainability and ESG Institute is poised to shape the future of institutions while contributing to a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world for all.
As African economies navigate evolving global expectations, capital flows are increasingly aligned with ESG performance metrics. Whether seeking climate finance, equity investments, or multilateral partnerships, organizations must be prepared to demonstrate their ESG readiness. The FITC Sustainability ESG Conference offers a timely intervention to equip institutions with the knowledge, tools, and networks required to thrive in this new era.
FITC firmly believes that Africa's future competitiveness hinges not only on its natural resources or digital innovation but also on the quality of its institutions and the integrity of its governance models. By building capacity at the leadership level and investing in platforms like the Sustainability ESG Institute, FITC is helping to lay the foundation for a knowledge-based economy that is ethical, inclusive, and future-fit.
Registration Now Open
Registration is currently open to both in-person and virtual participants. The attendance fee for physical delegates is ₦120,000, while virtual participants can join for ₦50,000. Interested individuals and organizations can register via fitc-ng.com/esg-conference-2025.
As the continent looks toward a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future, FITC’s ESG Conference offers more than just a forum for discussion—it is a call to action, a platform for transformation, and a commitment to shaping Africa’s place in the evolving global sustainability landscape.