The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) has successfully hosted the 2025 Corporate Members’ Forum, gathering leading organisations who are registered as corporate members of the Institute for a robust engagement on business sustainability.
The forum, held at the CIPM Millennium Building in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, was themed “Driving Business Sustainability through Strategic Collaborations: Insights from the Nigerian Business Landscape.” It provided a platform for thought-provoking discussions on how Nigerian businesses can thrive through strategic partnerships, innovation, and shared networks.
In his opening address, Ahmed Ladan Gobir, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIPM, highlighted the critical role of collaboration in driving business sustainability.
“There is a timeless African proverb that says: If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, you must join force, whether in business, politics, or even in traffic when danfos create their own lane! Everywhere you look in Nigeria, one lesson stands out: no one succeeds in isolation,” he said.
Gobir described collaboration as “the very oxygen of sustainability,” stressing that while Nigeria has one of the largest economies in Africa and small businesses create 84% of jobs, many collapse within five years because “while we have the numbers, we often lack the networks.” He urged business leaders to view collaboration as the “currency of the future,” vital for building joint ventures, integrating supply chains, and creating shared talent pipelines.
The keynote presentation was delivered by Lilian Oluchi Somiari, the General Manager, Strategy, Organisation and Performance at TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, who shared practical strategies on leveraging partnerships and cross-sector alliances to enhance organisational performance in Nigeria’s challenging yet opportunity-rich business environment.
Gobir also used the occasion to invite corporate members to the upcoming 57th International Conference and Exhibition, scheduled to hold from October 27th to 30th, 2025 at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference and Exhibition Centre in Abuja, describing it as Africa’s largest HR event and “the place where the present meets the future of work.”
The forum concluded with a renewed call for Nigerian businesses to strengthen networks and deepen their roots through collaboration. Quoting an African proverb, Gobir noted, “When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind. Collaboration deepens our roots, anchors our businesses, and ensures that no storm can sweep us away.”
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