Transparency Forum Initiative to kick off in Nigeria Nov. 17

To bring awareness to the importance of transparency in Nigeria's business and government landscape, the Transparency Forum Initiative, targeted roundtable sessions aimed at putting in place legal and regulatory reforms with regard to transparency, will kick off with a press conference Nov. 17.

“Government business is being conducted with transparency and cynicism is waning as a result,” Federal Republic of Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari said.

Organizers hope the initiative will open a dialogue about transparency between the public and private sectors that will lead to collaborations that will help boost transparency, educate stakeholders about how to develop and use transparency initiatives in their organizations, lead to changes in transparency-related laws and policies and increase knowledge about the part transparency plays in economic development.

“A strong culture of transparency and corporate governance is imperative if Nigeria is to attract both foreign and local direct investment required to build sustainable economic development," Uju Hassan Baba, executive secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, said.