Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, his Lagos counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, have applauded the emergence of Uto Ukpanah as the new President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN).
They congratulated her during her investiture as the 30th President and Chairman of the Governing Council of ICSAN, commending her for her exceptional competence in corporate governance pursuits in Nigeria.
Chairman of MTN Nigeria and Chief Executive Officer, Ernest Ndukwe, and Karl Toriola, respectively, said Ukpanah’s expertise and competence in corporate governance have earned her recognition.
Toriola described her as an exceptional individual who brings competence, professionalism, and wisdom to the MTN board as Company Secretary.
“So we are particularly proud that she served 20 years in MTN to get to this level, and all that experience was brought to bear as part of what was used to select her as the 30th President of ICSAN. So we are extremely proud. We think it is an honour and she is going to bring the institution a lot of value,” he said.
Ndukwe, while congratulating Ukpanah, said she has been a pillar in corporate governance pursuits in Nigeria.
and we are privileged and lucky to have her as one of us at MTN Nigeria. She has been a very important resource in ensuring things are done well, and I am not surprised that she has reached this level in her career. This investiture is no doubt a great achievement, even for her in her trajectory.
We do not doubt that she will do very well as president of ICSAN.”
He commended ICSAN for playing a major role in extending corporate governance in the private sector.
Governor Eno, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Enobong Uwah, commended the new ICSAN chief on the feat, expressing the state’s support for a fruitful tenure.
In her keynote address, a former Minister of Communication Technology, Dr Omobola Johnson, said Nigeria needed robust governance frameworks to take full advantage of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
She said the frameworks are critical and must align with ethical principles of transparency, accountability, and compliance.
Speaking on the implications of AI to boards and company secretaries, and also how organisations must be responsive with the use of AI, she said boards must strengthen their oversight and must ensure their roles extend beyond compliance.
Johnson urged boards to enhance their understanding of AI while company secretaries must integrate the technology into their overall management system.
An elated Ukpanah, in her acceptance speech, said the theme of her two-year tenure, ‘Expanding the Scope of Developments, Building on Legacy of Visionary Leadership,’ was a philosophical and strategic call to action.
She promised to prioritise continuity, innovate, preserve heritage, and remain receptive to disruption.
She said her administration would strive to focus on the consolidation of the legacy and expansion of other frontiers, as well as engage the new generation Z.
Also ranking prominently on her agenda, Ukpanah said, is the transition from ICSAN to Corporate Governance Institute of Nigeria (CGIN) in line with international best practices and the evolving role of governance professionals.
In her valedictory speech, ICSAN’s immediate past President, Funmi Ekundayo, listed some of her administration’s achievements, including the promotion of corporate governance in the public and private sectors, and strengthened partnership with regulatory authorities.
Prominent among her achievements is the ongoing building of ICSAN’s N3.5 billion new national secretariat.
