The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association has launched what it described as Africa’s first Environmental, Social and Governance Implementation Guide for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, in a move aimed at strengthening business sustainability, improving competitiveness, and aligning Nigerian firms with emerging global investment standards.
The guide was unveiled on Tuesday by the Chairman, NECA ESG Advisory Board, Femi Jaiyeola, during the 2026 Nigeria Employers’ Summit in Abuja.
Jaiyeola described the initiative as a defining moment for Nigeria’s private sector, noting that MSMEs remain the backbone of the economy and require structured, practical tools to survive and compete in an increasingly sustainability-driven global marketplace. He said ESG had moved far beyond compliance obligations to become a central business survival strategy.
“I think we have a milestone event today. We all acknowledge that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises play a significant role in Nigeria’s economy. They constitute a large proportion of what drives our economy on a daily basis.
“We also recognise the growing importance of Environmental, Social and Governance principles globally and in Nigeria. ESG has gone beyond being a mere tick-box exercise to satisfy regulatory requirements. It now presents enormous opportunities for MSMEs and for the country as a whole,” he said.
