The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, and other financial and business leaders will meet in Lagos next week to examine how Nigerian organisations can strengthen resilience amid rising economic, technological and regulatory risks.
The two-day 25th Annual International Conference and Silver Jubilee Celebration of the Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria will be held on October 14 and 15 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island.
Cardoso is expected to attend as Special Guest of Honour, while the Managing Director of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated, Dr Armstrong Ume Takang, will deliver the keynote address.
The conference will bring together policymakers, regulators, chief risk officers, chief executives, academics and development partners to discuss ways of turning risk management into a competitive advantage.
According to the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of CRMI, Victor Olannye, the conference will focus on building a “resilience edge” for organisations operating in an increasingly uncertain environment.
CRMI said businesses were contending with multiple pressures, including economic reforms, technological disruption, regulatory changes, climate-related threats and growing cyber risks.
The institute’s President and Chairman of the Governing Council, Kevin Ugwuoke, said the role of risk management had evolved from an administrative function to a strategic responsibility for corporate boards.
“Today it sits in the boardroom. The question is no longer whether an organisation manages risk, but whether it can turn that capability into an advantage,” Ugwuoke said.
The conference will feature plenary sessions, panel discussions and technical workshops on anticipating disruptions, adapting business strategies and recovering from shocks while maintaining competitiveness.
CRMI will also introduce its maiden University Risk Management Challenge, which will see teams from Nigerian universities analyse real-world risk scenarios and present solutions to senior practitioners.
The winning students are expected to receive financial grants, academic recognition and professional development opportunities.
Ugwuoke said the initiative was designed to develop the next generation of risk professionals.
“The profession’s next 25 years will be built by people who are undergraduates today,” he said.
The conference will end with a 25th Anniversary Award and Dinner Night, where individuals and organisations that have contributed to risk management practice in Nigeria will be recognised.
Award categories include Risk Regulation Excellence, Chief Risk Officer of the Year, Digital and Cyber Risk Management Excellence, Young Risk Professional of the Year and Excellence in Security Risk Management and National Security.
CRMI said risk management bodies from across Africa and international development partners were also expected at the event.
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