The Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria (SPIN) has inducted 79 new members at its 2026 Cohort 6 induction ceremony recently. The event, held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Victoria Island, marked a significant milestone in the institute’s journey to redefine and professionalize sustainability practice in Nigeria.
The induction ceremony brought together professionals from various sectors alongside institutional members including Access Bank, ARM, ARRIDEX, Dangote Cement, FirstBank, IHS, Lotus Bank, Mainstream Energy Solutions, OANDO, and SEPLAT Energy. Their participation underscored a collective commitment to advancing sustainability through evidence-based practices, responsible governance, and collaborative leadership.
Centered on the theme “Effective Corporate Governance as a Core Sustainability Pillar – Leading the Change,” the ceremony reinforced a defining message for the profession: Sustainability is no longer confined to reporting and compliance. It is a governance imperative that must shape strategy, decision-making, and organizational resilience.
In his keynote address, Professor Emmanuel Adegbite, Chairperson of SPIN’s Scientific Committee and Professor of Accounting and Corporate Governance at the University of Nottingham, challenged inductees to move beyond compliance toward stewardship. He emphasized that African contexts cannot simply replicate imported governance models but must develop frameworks that reflect local institutional realities. “Disclosures only transcend into accountability when they are underpinned by good governance,” Professor Adegbite said. “Ambitions will remain just ambition if they are not underpinned by governance.”
Dr. Ini Abimbola, Vice President of SPIN, speaking at the event, said, “Today we induct 79 professionals into our institute, reinforcing our position as the fastest-growing community of sustainability advocates on the African continent.” She addressed the need to professionalize the space, warning that the sustainability profession has been diluted by unqualified practitioners. “Compliance is not sustainability. Governance is the beginning and the end of whether it is environmental, social, or sustainability,” Dr. Abimbola stated.
Professor Kenneth Amaeshi, President of SPIN and globally recognized expert in sustainable finance strategy, governance, and economic development, reflected on the institute’s remarkable growth from its founding visionaries to over 400 members. Sustainability is a movement. It is a way of life, a mindset, and not about checking a box. It is lived, and those who live it will be known by their fruits,” he said.
Since its inception in August 2019, SPIN has recorded remarkable growth, evolving from seven founding visionaries to a community of over 400 members. The Institute has forged a strategic partnership with the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (ICRS) in the United Kingdom, established a Scientific Committee comprising globally recognized scholars, and advanced legislation before the National Assembly toward chartered status.
Through comprehensive training and professional development programmes, alongside institutional partnerships with leading Nigerian companies, SPIN continues to strengthen its capacity to professionalize sustainability practice and shape the future of the profession on the continent.
The Institute also announced plans to launch its annual sustainability conference to professionalize the conversation and establish SPIN as the recognized authority on sustainability practice in Nigeria.
