NIM admonishes leaders on nation building, confers awards on CDS, 149 others

The Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) Chartered has charged leaders on nation-building, calling on the recipient of its awards to higher responsibility and service to the profession and nation at large.

President and Chairman of Council, NIM, Dr Christiana Atako, said this during the institute’s 2024 Awards, Fellows and Spouses’ Day Luncheon, held in Lagos.

At the ceremony, the institute conferred fellowship awards to the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Gen Christopher Musa, and 149 other Nigerians.

According to Atako, “I charge you not to be satisfied with just adding the appellation, FNIM, to your names. From today, each of you is required to devote more of your time, talent, treasure and thinking to the service of the institute, the profession and the nation.”

In her keynote address, the Business Advisor to the Chief Financial Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Hafsatu Abdu-Gusau, urged members to embed sustainability criteria in decision-making processes.

She stressed that all levels of the organisation must consider sustainability impacts by incorporating its strategies to navigate future challenges and exploit new market opportunities.

Abdu-Gusau stated that integrating sustainability into organisational processes had benefits such as cost reduction, investor attraction, enhanced brand reputation, risk mitigation and regulatory compliance among others.

She urged that managers should develop a comprehensive set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that align with the organisation’s sustainability priorities and strategic goals.

“Collaboration plays a crucial role in sustainability, as it enables organisations to leverage partnerships and alliances to access complementary resources, capabilities, and markets.

“By working together, businesses can share knowledge, reduce costs, and enhance innovation, which is essential for implementing sustainable practices. These collaborative efforts can lead to improved operational efficiencies and greater impact in addressing sustainability challenges,” she said.

In his remark, the new fellow and CDS Musa identified mismanagement as the bane of the nation’s development.

While calling on Nigerians to join the military and government to rid the nation of all forms of crimes and criminalities, he said that the task of securing the nation was a collective responsibility.

He urged the institute not to relent in its resolve to foster good management practices in the workplace and the nation at large.