Prepares For 2024 National Corporate Governance Summit

L/R: Nerus Ekezie, Ag. CEO, IoDCCG, U. K. Eke, MFR, FIoD, Yan Yuqing, the Chinese Consul General, Izundu Chukwukere, Head, Programmes and Membership, IoDCCG, and Xie Yijun, Consulate Chief Protocol Officer during the visit

The Chairman, IoD Centre for Corporate Governance, U. K. Eke, MFR, FIoD, recently led Members of the Board of Governors and Management on a courtesy visit to the Chinese Consulate at its office in Lagos. The Chinese consulate team on ground to receive IoDCCG’s team was led by the Consul General, H.E, Yan Yuqing.

The Chairman in his opening speech gave a background on the birth of IoDCCG by its parent organizations (CIoD, SEC and CAC), who realised the need to entrench good Corporate Governance practices in Nigeria 17 years ago, came together to establish the Centre to championed Corporate Governance through robust services such as Governance Trainings, Conferences and Corporate Governance services, all in a bid to entrench global best practices in corporate and government entities in Nigeria.

He further stated that with the high traffic of Chinese Businesses in Nigeria, it is very imperative to form a collaboration to enable the Centre extend its capacity building mandate to these businesses and equip them with required tools to thrive in the Nigerian business terrain.

The Chairman informed H.E, Yan Yuqing, that plans are on to organise the second edition of National Corporate Governance Summit (NCGS) in collaboration with the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, FRCN, and Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, ICSAN.

The major focus of the Summit is to create increased awareness and enhance the knowledge of Private and Public sector participants on the practical applications of the Principles and Practices of Corporate Governance and its link towards creating sustainable pathway for Nation’s Economic Development and Growth.

He seized the opportunity to invite H.E, Yan Yuqing, as a Special Guest to the event and also offered the Consulate the opportunity to use the event as a springboard to promote the work of the Consulate in Nigeria while also creating a special platform for the Chinese businesses in Nigeria to showcase their brands to the audience through a special session that can be sponsored by the Consulate.

The Ag, CEO of IoDCCG introduced Ethics 1st Platform to the Consulate, which prepare organisations on how to conduct business ethically and place businesses on a sustainable growth trajectory by linking it to global business community seeking to do business with local ethical companies.

He informed the Consul General that IoDCCG partners with the Centre for International Private Enterprise, CIPE, USA, to raise awareness on the Corporate Governance and Business Integrity Standards and Value of listing on Ethics 1st Platform at no cost. He encouraged the Consul General to support Chinese companies doing businesses in Nigeria to sign on to the Ethics 1ST Platform by going through the listing process which commences with identification and nomination of organisations, signing the Integrity Pledge and participating in the first training programme that will get the companies listed in the green category.

The Ag. CEO listed the Values of Ethics 1ST as; Loyalty, Honesty, Leadership, Integrity, Accountability and Respect

In her response, the Consul General, H.E, Yan Yuqing, expressed happiness for the visit and reiterated that China has a wonderful diplomatic relationship with Nigeria with some of her national institutions engaged in Nigeria’s massive infrastructural development as well as many Chinese private sector and thriving businesses operating in Nigeria.

She accepted the invitation to attend the National Corporate Governance Summit, and further elaborated on other business opportunities in Nigeria. While acknowledging the need for partnership with the Centre, she informed that the Consulate will be extending invitations to the leadership of the Centre to various Chinese lined-up programmes and others in partnership with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Association of Chinese Businesses in Nigeria, as well the Chinses Lagos Forum holding on March 21, 2024 at NIIA. She informed the IoDCCG’s delegation that there will be several other engagements requiring the Centre to make presentation, both in Nigeria and in China, believing we will honour the invitations.

The courtesy visit is no doubt part of the Centre successful endeavor that will open up more opportunities for IoDCCG to fulfil its mandate and expand opportunities for the acculturation of Corporate Governance, Ethical and Professional behaviour amongst board members and management of companies in Nigeria.

The event was rounded off with group photographs and exchange of gifts which symbolized the shared desire for commencement of friendship, partnership and cooperation between the two organisations.