Yemisi Izuora.
The Steering Board of the Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS) has announced that 25 companies have successfully passed its rating test, having scored the required pass mark of 70 per cent whilst 87 others are at various stages of completion of the process.
The 25 successful companies joins the 8 companies that retained their rating from the CGRS pilot in 2014, bringing the total number of companies rated as of today to 33. The board also congratulates the 435 directors who have passed their certification test. Presentation of awards and certificates to Chairs of companies and directors being celebrated will hold in February 2018.
The CGRS was introduced into the Nigerian Capital Market in 2012 and launched in 2014 after it was successfully piloted with a number of volunteer companies, including those now listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange’s Premium Board. The process comprises three segments: an independently verified, self- assessment by the company; a certification of director awareness of their fiduciary duties; and, a corporate integrity assessment where perceptions of actual company behaviour are sought from internal and external stakeholders. Combinations of the three segments with attendant weighted scores are collated and companies with a score of 70% and above will be accorded the CGRS certification mark celebrating the degree to which they have evolved the quality of their corporate governance.
According to the Chairman of the Steering Board and Executive Director, Regulation, NSE, Ms. Tinuade Awe, “the period between 2000 and 2010 were difficult years for business around the world, littered with major corporate failures due to corruption and poor corporate governance, as well as financial crises that shook many economies. Companies have since then been evolving their ability to improve board structure and responsibility; business ethics and anti-corruption; transparency and disclosure; internal and external audit and control; and, better protect stakeholder and shareholder rights. Nigerian companies have not been left out of this evolution where better business leadership and performance is expected to lead to improvements and growth in the Nigerian economy as a whole.”
Mr. Soji Apampa, Chief Executive Officer, The Convention on Business Integrity (CBi) that partnered with the NSE to design, pilot, roll-out and manage the initiative, adds, “the success rate and increased participation in the CGRS initiative is a testament to the rising acclaim that corporate governance is receiving in corporate Nigeria. It is important to celebrate companies and directors who are leading the renewed charge whilst encouraging others to participate. We continue to celebrate companies where we notice that corporate governance is evolving nicely.”
Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON, CEO of The Nigerian Stock Exchange, noted that “as we make surefooted steps to globalise our market, the CGRS rating will bolster the confidence to invest in our market especially from international investors. Increasingly, our listed companies are meeting their compliance and requirements and we will continue to protect investors in our market through a robust regulatory regime.”
The members of the CGRS Steering Board are Ms. Tinuade Awe of the NSE, Ms. Olubukanla Rufai representing the Securities & Exchange Commission, SEC, Mr. Wole Famurewa of CNBC Africa, Ms. Vivien Shobo of Agusto & Co., Mr Soji Apampa, of The Convention on Business Integrity and Ms. Cynthia Akpomudiare, Project Director, CGRS.