strengthens dedication to using innovation and research to mainstream sustainability in Africa On Thursday, March 27, 2025, the Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria (SPIN) had its first Scientific Induction Committee meeting.
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The virtual gathering, which had as its theme “Mainstreaming Sustainability in Africa: Professionalism, Standardisation, and Capabilities,” gathered together eminent academics, business executives, and sustainability experts to map out a course for sustainability solutions that are specifically focused on Africa.
The event, which was hosted by First Bank of Nigeria PLC and moderated by Dr. Mories Atoki (Hon.), SPIN’s Legal Director, included panel discussions and keynote speeches from internationally renowned professionals. Among them was the European University Institute’s Professor of Sustainable Finance and President of SPIN, Kenneth Amaeshi. The significance of “decolonising sustainability frameworks” and giving local contexts top priority was emphasised by Professor Amaeshi.
He stated, “Africa must redefine sustainability on its own terms, balancing environmental, social, and economic imperatives unique to our realities.” The newly inducted scientific committee members were tasked by Vice President Ini Abimbola, who administered the SPIN induction oath, with advancing professionalism, promoting standardisation, and bolstering capacity building in sustainability in order to ultimately shape the future of sustainability in Africa.
Seven eminent academics and professionals make up the recently established scientific committee of the Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria (SPIN). The importance of corporate governance in promoting sustainable business practices was underlined by Professor Emmanuel Adegbite, who teaches accounting and corporate governance at Nottingham University Business School.
The University of West Indies’ Professor of Sustainable Business and Development, Judy Muthuri, emphasised the value of incorporating community-led initiatives and indigenous knowledge into sustainability plans. The members of the committee emphasised how complicated sustainability is in Africa.
Chukwumerije Okereke, a professor at the University of Bristol who teaches global climate governance and public policy, promoted justice-centered solutions that rectify historical injustices. The dean of the University of Guelph’s College of Social and Applied Human Sciences, Professor Uwafiokun Idemudia, urged multi-stakeholder cooperation to slow down environmental deterioration.
The necessity of legislative frameworks that support equity and inclusion was emphasised by Dr. Adaeze Okoye, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Lead at the University of Brighton. The committee, which included knowledgeable opinions from well-known thinking leaders, focused on creative ways to sustainability. The Circular Economy Innovation Partnership’s co-founder, Dr. Natalie Beinisch, offered advice on utilising the concepts of the circular economy.
In his analysis of how geopolitical changes affect sustainable practices, Professor Tazeeb Rajwani, Chaired Professor of International Business and Strategy at Surrey Business School, underlined the necessity for African companies to create robust, situation-specific strategies. Ismail Omamegbe, Director of Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement at SPIN, expanded on these observations by outlining the committee’s plan of action.
“We look forward to our new scientific committee members’ insights in shaping our research agenda, policy formulation, and capacity-building initiatives,” he said. The committee’s goal was reiterated by Mrs. Eunice Sampson, Director of Learning and Development at SPIN, in her closing remarks.
“By localising solutions and decolonising strategies, this esteemed group will revolutionise sustainability in Africa. Our goal is still to use cross-sector cooperation and strong political commitments to promote inclusive, data-driven growth.
