The Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria (CRMI) will mark its 25th anniversary with a two-day international conference in Lagos, bringing together regulators, policymakers, business leaders, academics and students to examine how effective risk management can strengthen organisational resilience and competitiveness.
The 25th Annual International Conference and Silver Jubilee Celebration is scheduled for October 14 and 15 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event will feature the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, as Special Guest of Honour, while the Managing Director of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated, Dr Armstrong Ume Takang, will deliver the keynote address.
According to a statement signed by CRMI Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Victor Olannye, PhD, FCRM, the conference will attract chief executives, chief risk officers, policymakers, academics and development partners from Nigeria, other African countries and beyond.
President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CRMI, Kevin Ugwuoke, said the institute’s 25-year journey reflected the growing importance of risk management in corporate decision-making.
“Twenty-five years ago, risk management in Nigeria was a back-office function that few boards discussed. Today it sits in the boardroom,” Ugwuoke said.
He said the focus had shifted from simply managing risks to using risk management capabilities to build competitive advantage and organisational resilience.
The conference comes as Nigerian businesses contend with economic reforms, technological disruption, changing regulations, climate-related pressures and increasing cyber threats.
According to the organisers, plenary sessions, panel discussions and technical workshops will examine how boards and management can anticipate disruptions, adapt strategies and recover from shocks while maintaining competitiveness.
A major highlight of the programme will be the maiden University Risk Management Challenge, which will give students from Nigerian universities an opportunity to analyse and respond to a real-world risk scenario.
Participating teams will present their solutions to a panel of experienced risk management professionals, with winners expected to receive financial grants, academic recognition and professional development opportunities.
Ugwuoke said the initiative was designed to develop the next generation of risk management professionals.
“The profession’s next 25 years will be built by people who are undergraduates today,” he said.
The anniversary celebration will culminate in a 25th Anniversary Award and Dinner Night on October 15, where individuals and organisations that have contributed to the development of risk management practice in Nigeria will be recognised.
Award categories include Institutional Leadership in Risk Advocacy, Human Capacity Development in Risk Management, 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 the awards were intended to promote best practices and establish stronger benchmarks for corporate resilience, regulatory compliance and national security preparedness.
The institute said representatives of risk management organisations across Africa and international development partners are expected to attend the anniversary conference.