Walson-Jack urges shift to preventive actions to strengthen institutions

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack has called on Nigeria’s institutions to shift from reactive responses to preventive, forward-looking strategies in managing risks. Walson-Jack was speaking in Abuja on Saturday at the 15th Annual Risk Professionals International Conference, organised by the Chartered Institute of Loan and Risk Management […]

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack has called on Nigeria’s institutions to shift from reactive responses to preventive, forward-looking strategies in managing risks.

Walson-Jack was speaking in Abuja on Saturday at the 15th Annual Risk Professionals International Conference, organised by the Chartered Institute of Loan and Risk Management of Nigeria (CILRM)

She was represented by Dr Kalba Usman, the Permanent Secretary, Common Service Office, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).

The Conference has the theme: Turning Risks into Opportunities: Preventive Instead of Reactive Responses.

She stressed that foresight and strategic readiness have become defining qualities of a progressive nations.

According to her, the theme reflects a national imperative for transformation and resilience in an increasingly uncertain world.

“ It captures the very essence of the transformational journey our nation must undertake,.

“This is more than a topic, it is a clarion call to reimagine our institutions, to anticipate change rather than merely respond to it,” she said.

Walson-Jack praised the gathering of risk professionals, describing their participation as both a professional commitment and a patriotic contribution to Nigeria’s stability and prosperity.

By interrogating risks and designing preventive frameworks, she said, practitioners played a decisive role in strengthening national institutions.

She commended the institute for its consistent leadership over the last 15 years, noting that its conferences have enhanced professional competence, deepened intellectual engagement, and supported stronger governance systems in both public and private sectors.

“For 15 years, you have sustained a platform that equips actors across sectors with the tools required to navigate an increasingly complex global environment. Nigeria is better because of your dedication,” she said.
While urging participants to engage boldly and innovatively, she emphasised that the outcomes of the conference must translate into tangible transformation across ministries, departments, agencies, industries and communities.

Earlier, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council, CILRM, Dr Harriet Akubuiko, urged practitioners to embrace proactive strategies that transform risks into opportunities rather than responding reactively after damage had occurred.

Akubuiro said the theme was carefully chosen to shift practitioners’ focus from perceiving risk solely as danger, loss, or threat, to recognising its potential to deliver positive outcomes when managed proactively.

“Whenever we hear the word ‘risk,’ the first things that come to mind are exposure to danger, harm, loss or uncertainty.

“Little attention is given to the opportunities that accompany these risks.

“This year’s conference aims to correct that mindset. We will explore proactive approaches needed to manage risks effectively while taking advantage of the opportunities embedded within them,” she said.

She recalled that the 2024 conference focused on “Artificial Intelligence: An Essential Factor in Risk Management Practice,” noting that this year’s theme builds on that foundation by promoting preventive and forward-looking strategies.

Akubuiro highlighted the Institute’s extensive engagements since the last conference, reaffirming CILRM’s commitment to strengthening professional capacity nationwide.

The Keynote Speaker, Dr Martina Macpherson, President, International Certified Risk Management Professionals, UK, who spoke virtually, urged managers to embed prevention into their culture.

According to her, being proactive drives success and there is need to translate insights into impact by turning risk into success.

She, therefore, urged participants to always invest skills and standards through continuous learning that would translate into optimal development