Business leaders urge sustainability alongside profit in Ghana and Nigeria

Industry leaders and government officials in Ghana and Nigeria are urging businesses to balance profitability with social and environmental responsibility. At the Ghana Converge Summit 2026, Presidential Adviser Hon. Ernest Brogya Genfi stated that commercial success cannot be sustained at the expense of consumers, workers, or the environment, noting that ethical commerce is an economic necessity for long-term growth.

Similarly, during the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) 50th annual lecture, experts emphasized that profit and purpose should not be competing objectives. Oscar Onyema, former Group CEO of the Nigerian Exchange Group, argued that purpose strengthens profitability when properly aligned. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also noted that businesses are increasingly judged by how they earn their profits and how they treat stakeholders, stressing the importance of strong governance to attract investment and maintain public confidence in emerging economies.