ESGIIA Press Hub

An organisation can raise capital, invest in technology, enter new markets and develop an ambitious growth strategy, and still struggle to deliver. The reason may not be a lack of opportunity, funding or innovation. It may simply be that the organisation’s talent systems have not grown at the same pace as the business. Across Africa, organisations are pursuing increasingly ambitious expansion and transformation agendas. Financial institutions are deepening digital adoption. Technology companies are entering new markets. Energy businesses are adapting to changing commercial and regulatory realities. Professional services firms are building new capabilities, while established companies are attempting to modernise their operations. Yet beneath many of these strategies lies a growing but insufficiently acknowledged risk: the organisation may not have the people, capabilities...

A cocoa cooperative in Ghana can now lose access to European buyers not because the quality of its cocoa declined but because it cannot digitally verify where every bean came from. Across Africa, this is becoming a familiar reality. Over the past few years, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements have moved beyond boardroom discussions into the operational core of global trade. Large corporations are under increasing pressure from regulators, investors, and international buyers to prove that their supply chains are responsible, transparent, and environmentally compliant. Regulations such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and broader disclosure frameworks tied to supply chain due diligence are accelerating that shift. The pressure does not remain at the top of the value chain. It moves...

African consumers, investors, regulators, and communities are paying closer attention to what companies say about their environmental and social efforts. A bold claim about “going green” or “supporting local communities” can win quick praise. But if it does not match reality, it can backfire badly. When companies exaggerate, mislead, or overstate their sustainability performance, it is called greenwashing. In Africa, high-profile cases have already shown the risks. For example, energy companies have faced complaints and rulings from advertising regulators in South Africa for misleading claims about sustainable development while continuing large-scale fossil fuel activities.  Similar scrutiny is growing in Nigeria, Kenya, and across the continent as mandatory ESG reporting gains momentum. The cost of getting it wrong? Damaged reputation, loss of...

Across Africa, organisations are delivering real ESG value every day. For example, Nigerian fintechs are financing off grid solar solutions that cut emissions and create jobs. Kenyan flower exporters are implementing water stewardship programmes that protect biodiversity and sustain farmer livelihoods. South African manufacturers are embedding anti corruption controls that strengthen governance and improve supply chain resilience. These initiatives align with the Sustainable Development Goals, respond to climate urgency, and reflect the continent’s unique social realities. Yet, despite these efforts, most organisations cannot produce credible, auditable evidence that their impact is real. The result is a quiet but serious credibility crisis that erodes trust, limits access to capital, and slows meaningful progress. A Structural Data Gap, Not a Perception Problem The ESG data...

It is more apparent now that Sustainability data has reached a turning point. For years, organisations collected environmental, social, and governance information primarily for reporting purposes. However, today, that approach is no longer enough. This is because In 2026, the central question is not whether companies gather sustainability data. It is whether that data shapes real decisions about capital allocation, risk management, operations, and long-term competitiveness. It is worth mentioning that across industries, fragmented data systems remain a major challenge. Organisations hold emissions figures in one platform, supplier risk information in another, and governance metrics in spreadsheets or static reports. The result is slow analysis, inconsistent disclosures, and weak integration with financial planning.  Manual processes and unclear ownership structures also further...

We are now well into January 2026, and yes, like every other year, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) remains a core requirement for staying competitive, securing funding, and weathering our current-day disruptions.  Today, the real divide is not between companies with impressive-looking reports and those without. It is between those who can demonstrate genuine, verifiable progress and those who still rely mostly on words. This moment calls for plain speaking rather than recycled checklists. For example, if 2024 was about debating terminology and 2025 was about scrambling for data, 2026 is the year of the audit. For any organisation looking to thrive this year, the focus must shift from how your ESG report looks to how your ESG data lives within your...

As the year comes to an end, we are taking time out at ESGIA Africa to reflect on what 2025 has meant to us. Much of our work is done in training, strategy and consulting, advisory sessions, conversations with leaders, and quiet reviews of systems that shape how organisations operate. Today’s article is not our regular. It is a simple reflection on what we did, what we learnt, and what we aim to carry into 2026. We also believe that everyone who reads this will take a few lessons as they prepare for the coming year. 2025 in Clear Terms For us at ESGIAA, this year was primarily centred on helping organisations move from ESG and sustainability interests to action. Many African...

The recently concluded ESGiAA 2026 Outlook conference created a space for serious and enlightening discussion on how Africa is redefining the practice of sustainability. The theme, ESGiAA 2026 Outlook: Navigating Strategy, Stakeholders and Standards, framed a conversation that moved beyond policy statements and turned toward the business of doing. The session opened with Bella Ikeme, Executive Director and Partner at ESG in Action Africa, who reminded participants that the event was not designed for formality or as a vanity project. It was, as she said, “a working conversation, a moment to move from ideas to action.” That invitation carried through the entire discussion and set the tone for what followed. The World is Resetting Ngozi Edozien, Managing Partner at ESGiAA, began her address...

With 2025 drawing to a close, companies are beginning to evaluate progress and set priorities for the new year. Many are also asking harder questions about the credibility of their Environmental, Social and Governance practices. According to data shared by the World Economic Forum, over 63% of senior leaders and executives believe environmental and social factors will significantly influence corporate performance by 2026.  This growing awareness is shaping how organisations define success, engage stakeholders and build resilience for the future. By now, it is clear, as we have often said, that sustainability has become more than an occasional concern, taking its place as a key part of everyday decision-making in many boardrooms. For us as an organisation committed to advancing ESG in...

At ESG in Action Africa, we believe governance is not just a regulatory requirement. It is the heartbeat of resilient, profitable, and sustainable businesses on the continent. While many discussions about growth in Africa spotlight finance, technology, or market expansion, history shows that it is governance that determines whether businesses endure and thrive. In this article, we will explore why governance matters beyond compliance, why it is particularly vital in the African context, and how strong governance frameworks are closely tied to long-term Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) outcomes. Governance Beyond Rules and Regulations Compliance is the minimum. In Nigeria, for instance, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 and S2, which we discussed earlier this year, provide important guardrails. But the real power...