Stakeholders Urge National Assembly To Pass Sustainability Bill

The National Assembly has been urged to fast-track the passage of the Chartered Sustainability Professional Institute of Nigeria Bill to establish a regulatory framework for sustainability practice and strengthen the country’s readiness for mandatory Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting.

The call was made by the Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria (SPIN) during a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce in Abuja on Monday.

Speaking at the hearing, SPIN Vice President, Dr Ini Abimbola, said the proposed legislation would address existing regulatory gaps by setting standards for competence, ethics and accountability in the sustainability profession.
She noted that although the Climate Change Act, 2021, mandates organisations with 50 or more employees to appoint climate change or sustainability officers and submit annual reports to the National Council on Climate Change, it does not prescribe the qualifications required for those professionals.

“The law created the position, but it never defined who is qualified to hold it. Right now in Nigeria, there is no law preventing anybody from calling themselves a sustainability expert. There is no minimum competence, no enforceable code of ethics, no professional register and no disciplinary mechanism,” she said.

According to her, the proposed institute would establish a register of certified sustainability professionals, define competency standards, enforce ethical conduct and provide disciplinary measures for erring practitioners.
Abimbola said the legislation had become more urgent as Nigeria prepares to implement mandatory sustainability reporting in line with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) framework from 2028.

She recalled that Nigeria became the first African country to adopt the ISSB standards announced at COP27, adding that sustainability disclosures would be included in audited financial reports from 2028.

She warned that failure to regulate the profession could weaken investor confidence, encourage greenwashing and undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s sustainability disclosures in global markets.

The bill’s sponsor, Hon. Kayo Akiolu, representing Lagos Island Federal Constituency, said the proposed legislation would provide the legal framework needed to professionalise sustainability practice and align Nigeria with international best practices.

He said the institute would promote professional excellence, strengthen environmental governance, support government policies and enhance Nigeria’s access to climate finance, carbon markets and green investments.

Chairman of the House Committee on Commerce, Hon. Ahmed Munir, assured stakeholders that the committee would give the bill the necessary legislative consideration.

Stakeholders at the public hearing expressed broad support for the proposed legislation and urged the National Assembly to expedite its passage ahead of the commencement of mandatory sustainability reporting in 2028.