President Bola Tinubu has called for strategic positioning of Nigeria amid profound shifts in the global economy, alongside stronger corporate governance, to strengthen the country’s competitiveness and achieve its one trillion dollar economy ambition by 2030.
Tinubu made the call on Tuesday in Lagos at the annual Directors Conference 2026 of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria (CIoD).
The conference has the theme: “Re-imagining the Boardroom for Inclusive and Sustainable National Prosperity in the New Economy”.
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The President, represented by Prof. Tunji Olaopa, Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), said global supply chains were being reorganised, while digital technologies, trade tensions, climate risks and changing capital flows were reshaping investment decisions.
He said Nigeria must respond by strengthening macroeconomic stability, improving policy predictability, developing energy and transport infrastructure, deepening local value addition and diversifying its exports.
“We do not intend for Nigeria merely to absorb the consequences of global change. We intend to compete, innovate and shape opportunities it creates,” he said.
Tinubu stressed the need to leverage opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to connect Nigerian producers to wider markets while equipping the workforce with skills required by the new economy.
He said achieving the country’s economic ambition required determination and stronger partnership between government and enterprise.
According to him, investors are attracted not merely by the availability of opportunities but also by confidence that their investments will be managed within transparent, accountable and predictable institutional frameworks.
The President said strong corporate governance reduced risks, strengthened investor confidence, improved access to capital, promoted operational efficiency and enhanced organisational sustainability.
He warned that weak governance, poor oversight, conflicts of interest and inadequate accountability could undermine even the most promising enterprises.
Tinubu, therefore, urged directors across the public and private sectors to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, accountability and professionalism.
He said boards must provide effective oversight, constructively challenge management, safeguard institutional assets and ensure that decisions served the best interests of their organisations and stakeholders.
The President also called for stronger governance in public institutions and state-owned enterprises, stressing that public resources must be managed responsibly, institutions must deliver measurable value and those entrusted with leadership must remain accountable for results.
Similarly, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, urged directors to take their boardroom responsibilities seriously, ask difficult questions and look beyond immediate financial results.
Akume, represented by Dr Imaobong Ekwere, Director, Nigerian National Volunteer Service, said directors must exercise sound judgment, challenge weak assumptions and insist on reliable information to protect their organisations from avoidable losses.
He said the stability of organisations affected employees, investors, suppliers and host communities, making it necessary for boards to consider these interests alongside financial sustainability.
Akume also called for stronger collaboration between government and businesses, urging the private sector to invest, produce, innovate and create jobs while government provides an enabling environment.
President, CIoD Nigeria, Mr Adetunji Oyebanji, said achieving the one trillion dollar economy ambition by 2030 required substantial acceleration in economic growth beyond fiscal policy interventions.
He said directors had important roles in allocating capital productively, encouraging enterprise, managing risks and creating lasting economic value.
He added that national prosperity depended not only on large corporations but also on strengthening small businesses through sound governance, access to capital and expanded market opportunities.
Dr Waheed Olagunju, Chairman, National Organising Committee of the conference, said corporate success should contribute to broader national progress and improvements in societal well-being.
Olagunju said boards had responsibilities beyond shareholders, urging directors to consider how their decisions affected employees, customers, suppliers, communities and the wider society.
He said reimagining the boardroom required stronger deliberations, improved strategic judgment, ethical leadership and the ability to challenge established assumptions while maintaining a long-term perspective on organisational performance and national development.
Mr Emmanuel Ocholi, Chairman, Charterhouse Capital Plc, said changing business models, artificial intelligence, global supply chain disruptions, climate risks and geopolitical uncertainties required boards to rethink traditional governance practices.
He urged directors to ask better questions, understand emerging risks, obtain reliable information and challenge management assumptions to ensure their organisations remained competitive.
Ocholi said businesses also required predictable regulations, credible public institutions, functional infrastructure and access to capital to achieve sustainable growth.
He stressed the need for stronger trust and accountability between government and the private sector, noting that neither could deliver sustainable national prosperity independently.
Also, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, Chairman, Seplat Energy, said boards needed to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles into their operations, diversify board composition and take corporate social responsibility seriously.
He said boards must also adapt their practices to the growing influence of social media and artificial intelligence, adding that organisations able to respond quickly to emerging developments would be better positioned to succeed in the new economy.
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