The Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) has announced the inaugural edition of the FITC Sustainability ESG Conference, set to take place on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at The Art Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event represents a pivotal step in Nigeria and Africa’s broader journey toward embedding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks into institutional, national, and regional development strategies.
Themed “Building a Prosperous Future: Unlocking Growth Opportunities Through Sustainability and ESG Innovation,” this landmark event is designed to spark strategic conversations, drive intersectoral collaboration, and galvanize leaders into adopting ESG principles not as optional frameworks but as central to operational excellence and societal transformation.
The conference is expected to convene multiple delegates spanning government agencies, regulatory bodies, corporates, ESG experts, multilateral institutions, academia, and civil society organizations. Together, these stakeholders will examine 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 uncertainty.
In recent years, global conversations have shifted from “if” organizations should embrace sustainability, to “how fast” and “how effectively” they can. Africa, with its unique socio-economic challenges and opportunities, sits at a critical juncture. The pressures of climate change, social inequality, and governance deficiencies demand coordinated action—and FITC is taking the lead in orchestrating this through high-level engagement platforms like the upcoming ESG Conference.
According to Dr. Chizor Malize, Managing Director/CEO of FITC, “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.”
This flagship event is hosted under the auspices of the FITC Sustainability & ESG Institute, launched in 2024 as an epicenter for sustainability thought leadership in Africa. The Institute was established to serve as a dedicated knowledge hub, offering research, capacity building, and practical tools that empower organizations to navigate the evolving ESG landscape with confidence and competence.
At the 2024 launch of the Institute, some of Nigeria’s most respected ESG leaders underscored the urgency for purposeful action. Professor Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, OFR, a renowned governance expert, remarked, “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.” His statement remains more relevant than ever as boards across the continent reimagine corporate governance through the ESG lens.
The conference is expected to highlight not just policy-level recommendations but also 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—especially as global frameworks like the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) gain traction across markets.
One of the Institute’s mandates is to debunk the notion that ESG is merely a compliance checklist. As Oluwasoromidayo George, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director at Coca-Cola HBC, asserted during the Institute’s launch, “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.”
The FITC ESG Conference will also serve as a bridge between global frameworks and local realities. With Africa, home to 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, vast renewable energy potential, and a predominantly young population, the continent has a unique opportunity to build 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.
It is in this context that FITC has positioned itself—not just as a training center, but 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 creating the conditions for a governance and sustainability revolution to take root.
Reinforcing the pragmatic lens, Ms. Ibiene Okeleke, Managing Director of the Energy Training Centre, emphasized that ESG should not be seen as a necessary evil, but rather as a strategic advantage tailored to an organization’s unique context, underscores the importance of contextualizing ESG implementation. Her remarks reflect a belief that ESG should not be viewed as a burdensome obligation, but rather as a strategic enabler—best approached in ways that align with each organization’s unique operating environment. This pragmatic approach aligns closely with FITC’s philosophy of localization—ensuring that international frameworks are translated into solutions that reflect the realities of African institutions, economies, and communities.
The 2025 ESG Conference will provide fertile ground for translating these philosophies into tangible partnerships, collaborative projects, and industry benchmarks. Beyond the keynotes and fireside chats, participants will engage in high-level breakout sessions, exhibitions of cutting-edge ESG solutions, and curated networking forums designed to spark new alliances between regulators, investors, and implementers.
The event also seeks to amplify one core message: that sustainability is a journey, and no organization, no matter its size or stage, is exempt from 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.”
That spirit of continuous evolution also defines FITC’s broader strategy. Over the last four decades, the institution has grown from a training provider for Nigeria’s banking sector into a full-fledged 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 welcome thought leaders and speakers from institutions including 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 range from policy strategy and institutional governance to financial disclosures, green investments, and cross-sectoral collaborations.
Echoing a call to action, Femi Awoyemi, Founder and Chairman of Proshare Limited, highlighted the urgency for leaders to approach sustainability with clarity of purpose and bold innovation, 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 positioned to shape the future of institutions while contributing to a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world for all.
As African economies continue to face shifting 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 believes that the future of Africa’s competitiveness lies not only in natural resources or digital innovation, but in 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 for the conference is now open to both physical and virtual participants. The physical attendance fee is ₦120,000, while virtual attendance is set at ₦50,000.
