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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Nigerian firms urged to measure diversity and inclusion impact

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Nigerian companies need to measure the impact of diversity and inclusion efforts on business performance, human resource leaders urged.
  • Experts emphasized treating inclusion as a strategic business issue, not just compliance, with executives driving accountability.
  • Global trends show companies assessing diversity programs by their impact on leadership, retention, and business outcomes, not just representation.

Nigerian companies must move beyond diversity and inclusion policies to measure their impact on business performance, human resource leaders urged. They stressed treating inclusion as a strategic business issue, not merely a compliance requirement, with executives taking greater responsibility for fostering workplaces where diverse employees can contribute to decision-making.

This call came during the 2026 CEO/CHRO/HRD Forum organized by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) in Lagos. CIPM President Ahmed Gobir stated that organizational transformation starts with leadership decisions. He noted that diversity and inclusion initiatives will have limited impact without executive commitment to shaping organizational priorities. Gobir added that companies with diverse leadership teams make stronger decisions and drive innovation due to varied perspectives and experiences, but cautioned that merit must remain the foundation for hiring and promotion.

Organisational transformation begins with leadership decisions.

— Ahmed GobirPresident and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIPM, Ahmed Gobir, stated that organizational transformation begins with leadership decisions.

Globally, companies are increasingly assessing diversity programs by their impact on leadership pipelines, employee retention, and business outcomes, rather than solely by workforce representation. Lagos State Public Service Office Permanent Secretary Mrs. Sunkanmi Oyegbola advised organizations to evaluate diversity initiatives by tangible results, not just policies or committees. Roger Adou, Managing Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, highlighted the need for clear policies, accountability, and leadership commitment to support inclusion. He stated that diverse teams improve decision-making by bringing different experiences and perspectives to business challenges. FrieslandCampina WAMCO focuses on gender balance, regional representation, and psychological safety to encourage employee contributions to organizational decisions. Adou emphasized that organizations must ensure diverse voices genuinely influence decisions.

Organisations must move beyond representation to ensure that diverse voices have real influence on decisions.

— Roger AdouManaging Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Roger Adou, said organizations must move beyond representation to ensure that diverse voices have real influence on decisions.
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Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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