The 2020 conference, Luncheon and Awards of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) has been slated for Thursday 19^th and Friday 20^th, November with the theme: “Entrenching the right governance Framework for Economic Development and Sustainability”, under the chairmanship of Mallam AbdulRahman Dikko, Chairman Bank of Industry (BOI).

Making the disclosure in Lagos at the ICSAN secretariat, Mr. Bode Ayeku, FCIS, President/Chairman, governing Council, ICSAN explained that the theme of the conference was informed by the current need to ensure every entity be it government or business survives the current challenging situation.

Globally, the world is contending the COVID-19 pandemic and its lockdown effects, to make matters worse, Nigeria recently suffered another setback through the #EndSARS campaign which inflicted debilitating effects on government, businesses and individuals, he explained.

Apart from focusing on the support the right governance can actually provide, the ICSAN President further revealed that the conference was structured to provide a way out of the quagmire as a new-normal has come to the fore as current realities.

Aside the main theme, the 2020 conference holding at the MUSON Centre, Lagos, will feature three sub-themes namely – “The new-normal: Emerging trends in corporate governance and its implication on business continuity”; Digitalization and Cyber Security: Impact on Businesses” while the third intended for ICSAN members will consider, “The revised Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020: Opportunities for Company Secretaries”.

Further rationalizing the sub-themes, Mr. Ayeku explained that with COVID-19, the way we interact has changed and still changing adding that the recent EndSARS also added a local dimension to it. “Now that we have these two extreme situations which nobody thought of even as late as December last year, we have to devise means of managing these emerging trends”.

Mr. Ayeku, COVID-19 has thought us the need to accelerate digitalization.  “We now see the reason why it is no longer an option but a necessity to digitalize. However, the attendant risks such as the cyber crimes and security threats, compel we should be conscious of the threats”. Hence, the reason to interrogate the issues associated with digitalization during the conference.

On the 3^rd leg of the sub-theme, the conference will be looking at the opportunities the new CAMA 2020 offers to all. “We choose to look at the positive side as it is our attitude at ICSAN to look at the positive side of life and opportunities” rather than groaning over challenges and problems as its commonly done.

To do justice to these, eminent resource persons and panelists confirmed for the conference include: Prof. Peter Slyan, Depart of Economics, University of Abuja; Dr. Olusegun Aina, Chairman, Odua Investment and Mrs Braimoh Anastasia, FCIS, Deputy Director, SEC. Others include Mrs. Amina Oyagbola, Managing Consultant, AKMS Consulting; Mr. Kashifu Abdullahi, CCIE, Director General/CEO, National Information Technology Agency (NITDA)

Another high point of the conference according to the President will be the conferment of the honorary fellowship of Institute on two distinguished Nigerians such as Dr Christopher Kolade, MON, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Pan-Atlantic University and Mr. Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, for the numerous contributions to the economy and nation building.

Over the last few years, ICSAN has been experiencing a steady rise in profile on the global stage of the practice. The Chairman in Council recently emerged as Vice President, Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA).The appointment is an indication that ICSAN regularly contributes ideas and knowledge as a global voice of good governance principles.

“The only way a global organisation would allow a member Institute to aspire or to be elected to that office is that that member organisation would have been contributing tremendously to the progress of that institution, the President noted satisfaction, indicating the Institute’s rising profile on the global arena.