The Compliance Institute, Nigeria, has inducted 1,247 compliance professionals at its ninth Induction and Investiture Ceremony, as regulators and industry leaders charged practitioners to drive ethical leadership, innovation, and institutional integrity across Nigeria’s public and private sectors.

The ceremony, themed “Shaping the Future of Compliance: Innovation and Ethical Leadership”, attracted stakeholders from regulatory agencies, financial institutions, academia, and the corporate sector.

In his opening address, the President and Chairman of the Executive Council of CIN, Mr Pattison Boleigha, described the event as a celebration of excellence and a critical step in deepening the culture of compliance.

“Today’s event marks yet another significant milestone in our ongoing mission to instill, promote, and strengthen the culture of compliance across Nigeria, West Africa, and beyond,” Boleigha said.

He noted that the inductees had successfully completed the institute’s rigorous professional examinations and met all requirements for membership.

“This ceremony is a celebration of hard work, excellence, and commitment. It brings together individuals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication by completing the institute’s rigorous professional examinations,” he said.

Boleigha announced that 1,247 candidates passed the Designate Compliance Professional examination, while new Associates and distinguished Fellows were also inducted.

“To our inductees, I extend my heartfelt congratulations. By joining CIN, you have become part of a distinguished community committed to strengthening Nigeria’s corporate compliance landscape,” he said.

He reminded the new members of their responsibilities, saying, “With this induction comes the responsibility to uphold the highest levels of integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct. Let your work reflect the values of CIN.”

The CIN president disclosed that the institute currently has over 7,000 members spread across Africa, Europe, and America, with a target of exceeding 9,000 members by the end of 2026.

“Our mission is to set and uphold compliance standards that foster professionalism, ethical conduct, and regulatory excellence. Our vision is to be recognised as a national and global leader in compliance,” he added.

He also highlighted CIN’s commitment to affordable certification programmes to ensure wider access and a steady pipeline of skilled compliance practitioners across sectors such as law, insurance, energy, telecommunications, oil and gas, manufacturing, and the capital market.

Delivering a keynote address on behalf of the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, the Acting Zonal Director, Lagos 2, EFCC, Ahmed Ghali, said the ceremony reaffirmed Nigeria’s collective resolve to entrench ethical governance.

“Today’s ceremony is more than a formality. It is a reaffirmation of our collective commitment to building a nation whose institutions, public and private, are anchored on strong ethical foundations,” Ghali said.

He described compliance as a culture rather than a mere function. “In a world defined by rapid technological evolution, complex financial flows, and increasing regulatory demands, compliance has become indispensable,” he said.

Ghali identified CIN as a critical partner in the EFCC’s anti-corruption efforts. “By equipping professionals with the knowledge and skills to uphold regulatory standards, identify red flags, and embed ethical principles within organisational systems, the Institute stands as one of our closest allies in the fight against corruption, financial crimes, and corporate misconduct,” he stated.

Addressing the inductees, he said, “You are stepping into a field that demands courage as much as competence. You will often be the first line of defence, the voice of reason, and the guardians of institutional integrity.”

He assured them of the EFCC’s commitment to collaboration with professional bodies, noting, “No single institution can win the fight against corruption alone.”

Also speaking, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, represented by the Director of the Compliance Department, CBN, Mr Olubunmi Ayodele-Oni, said compliance had become a strategic capability in modern organisations.

“You are joining a profession that sits at the intersection of trust, growth, and national competitiveness,” he said.

Ayodele-Oni stressed that compliance was no longer a back-office function. “Compliance is now the architecture of trust in an era of rapid change. It is an enabler of innovation, not a barrier,” he said.

He urged compliance professionals to move beyond “tick-box” practices. “You must move from being reactive to being predictive, from training to building ethical cultures, and from local adequacy to global readiness,” he said.