ESG Forum: Africa Must Define its Sustainability Standard

Dike Onwuamaeze

Leaders of Nigeria’s private sector Environment Sustainability and Governance (ESG) Forum have advocated that Africa should define its sustainability standards within the context of its needs.

This view was expressed yesterday by the Chair of the ESG Forum Technical Committee, Mrs. Odiri Erewa-Meggison, during a press conference to announce the oncoming 2025 Private Sector ESG Forum with the theme “Energy Security and Decarbonisation: Bridging the gap for a sustainable future.”

Erewa-Neggison, who is also the External Affairs Director, BAT West and Central Africa, highlighted the forum’s growing role in driving sustainable business transformation, climate resilience, and corporate responsibility.

Now in its third year, the Forum’s 2025 edition will feature a Masterclass on October 28 and the Main Forum on October 29 and “underscore the urgent need for Africa to collectively design a transition model that reflects its unique realities, one that tackles energy poverty while advancing environmental responsibility and economic inclusion.”

Erewa-Meggison articulated the central dilemma of Africa’s sustainability journey as how to power development without compromising the environment.

She said: “Africa must not merely import global sustainability standards; we must define our own context.

“Our conversation is not just about reducing emissions, it is about expanding opportunity. We must begin to look for solutions that work for us ; solutions that ensure energy fuels factories, lights homes, and sustains livelihoods.”

Erewa-Meggison emphasised that the forum would be a rallying point for action, anchored on collaboration between private sector actors, policymakers, and financiers.

She noted that the transition must be pragmatic in order to ensure equity for communities and industries that still struggle with basic access to power.

“The transition is not only about what we stop doing, but what we build in its place: innovation, local capacity, and inclusive progress,” she said.

Speaking during the press conference, the Head of Risk and Capital Management at Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Ms. Tosin Leye-Odeyemi, offered a candid assessment of the financing landscape for sustainability.

She said: “Transition financing is not a buzzword; it is the backbone of implementation. We must de-risk sustainability investments and build blended finance structures that attract both public and private capital.

“If we want transformation, we must build financial systems that reward responsibility and long-term value creation.”

Leye-Odeyemi stressed that unlocking climate finance would require a clear link between sustainability outcomes and financial returns, urging the private sector to innovate around green bonds, sustainability-linked loans, and capital markets instruments that reflect Africa’s development priorities.

Speaking from agribusiness perspecive, the Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at TGI Group, Ms. Yosola Onanuga, explored the intersection of food, energy, and climate resilience.

She said: “Food security and energy security are inseparable. By integrating renewable energy into agricultural production and processing, agribusinesses can lower costs, reduce emissions, and build resilience for communities most vulnerable to climate shocks.”

In her Closing Remarks, the Head of Business Communication and Sustainability at BAT West and Central Africa, Ms. Halimat Shuaibu, reflected on the broader purpose of the ESG Forum, which is to move Africa from conversation to measurable impact.

“This forum is a collaborative commitment to align profit with purpose, and growth with responsibility,” she said

The 2025 ESG Forum, which is convened by the ESG Forum Technical Committee and supported by partners including, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, BAT Nigeria, Seplat Energy, NBC and TGI Group, will serve as a lighthouse for corporate sustainability in Africa.

Through high-level dialogues, expert masterclasses, and innovation showcases, the forum will help to redefine how African businesses will lead the transition by anchoring the continent’s growth on sustainability, equity, and shared prosperity.