Links future of governance to inclusive leadership

Former Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has faulted government agencies that combine regulatory and operational responsibilities, warning that such overlap undermines effectiveness and accountability.

Fashola spoke yesterday in Lagos at the Women Directors’ Biennial Conference organised by the Women Group of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria (CIoD).

He argued that many public institutions have failed to develop the ethics and capacity required to function strictly as regulators, stressing that the lack of clear separation between oversight and operations creates inefficiency.

According to him, regulators cannot effectively supervise entities with which they are directly involved.

“When the regulator begins to wine and dine with the people they should be regulating, there can’t be effectiveness,” he said.

Fashola cited instances where government assets had been privatised, yet agencies retained operational interests instead of fully relinquishing them.

Speaking on the conference theme, ‘From Presence to Power: Advancing Women’s Influence in the Boardroom,’ Fashola underscored the importance of trust, team-building and employee welfare in effective leadership.

He also credited much of his achievements in public office to the women he worked with, describing them as resourceful, hardworking and impactful leaders.

According to him, many of the successes attributed to him and the administrations he served were largely driven by the contributions of women.

President and Chairman of Council of the institute, Adetunji Oyebanji, said directors today faced rising challenges ranging from artificial intelligence disruption and geopolitical tensions to supply chain instability and macroeconomic uncertainty.

Special Guest of Honour, Ajoritsedere Awosika, described the theme as a call for women to be deliberately considered in policymaking and governance processes.

She urged women to move beyond visibility to measurable impact, noting that “presence and power” must translate into results.

In her welcome address, Chairman of the institute’s Women Group, Ronke Sokefun, said the conference was focused on competence, capacity, credibility and courage rather than tokenism or symbolism.