Abuja: The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has pledged to support the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) to promote corporate governance and administrative excellence in the country. The CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, made this commitment during a fundraising event for the construction of the institute’s multi-functional secretariat complex in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Cardoso, represented by his Technical Adviser, Philip Ndanusa, highlighted the apex bank’s recognition of ICSAN’s pivotal role in shaping governance culture in both the public and private sectors. He noted that the institute’s values of professionalism and integrity strongly align with the current reform agenda of the CBN. Cardoso emphasized the CBN’s support for ICSAN’s initiatives aimed at promoting good corporate governance in Nigeria.
Cardoso further cited recent governance strides by the CBN, including the restructuring of the bank to focus on its core mandates. He detailed the rigorous appointment of 16 new directors, six of whom were women, and the institution’s ongoing push for cost control and operational efficiency as part of these governance improvements.
In her remarks, President of ICSAN, Mrs. Funmi Ekundayo, expressed the institute’s commitment to completing the building project, which will be located in Lagos. Ekundayo described the project as a hub for professional development, technology-enabled learning, and diaspora engagement. She emphasized that the building would serve multiple purposes, including lecture halls, a modern library, and a central space for training and events to support the professional growth of members across sectors.
Ekundayo described the fundraising as part of several ongoing initiatives to ensure the successful completion of the secretariat, noting that the institute has nearly 10,000 members nationwide. Vice President of ICSAN, Mrs. Uto Ukpanah, remarked that the project had been a long-standing vision of past administrations and that it was time to bring it to fruition. She emphasized the critical role governance professionals play in ensuring well-run institutions and highlighted ICSAN’s legacy of promoting accountability and ethical leadership.
The institute, which has been at the forefront of governance advocacy for more than 59 years, reiterated its commitment to contributing to Nigeria’s economic transformation. This will be achieved by raising a new generation of governance professionals who can drive institutional stability and sustainability.