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.
