The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) has urged business leaders to integrate diversity and inclusion (D&I) as core drivers of innovation and productivity rather than viewing them as mere policy statements.

At the 2026 CEO/CHRO/HRD Forum, CIPM President Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir emphasized that leadership must actively model inclusive behaviors, noting that diverse teams enhance decision-making and sustainable growth. Keynote speaker Roger Philippe Adou, Managing Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, reinforced this, describing D&I as a business imperative that requires accountability and structural commitment to ensure diverse perspectives influence corporate strategy. Participants were encouraged to align D&I initiatives with merit-based talent development to achieve measurable organizational impact.