Sahara Group’s Executive Director, Mr. Ade Odunsi, has called on accountants across Africa to take the lead in shaping the continent’s sustainability and governance landscape by embedding innovation, adaptability and collaboration in financial and non-financial reporting.
Speaking at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) Annual Accountants’ Conference, themed “Sustainability Reporting & Assurance: The Accountant’s Evolving Role,” Odunsi highlighted the need for Africa’s accounting professionals to transition from traditional record-keeping to becoming strategic partners driving corporate sustainability and impact assurance.
“Accountants hold the pen that writes tomorrow’s corporate story,” Odunsi said. “Our responsibility now extends beyond balancing books, it’s about balancing impact. The numbers must reflect how we serve people, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for generations to come.”
Odunsi explained that as sustainability reporting becomes increasingly regulated under frameworks like the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB S1 and S2), accountants in Nigeria and across Africa have a pivotal opportunity to redefine how value is measured. He noted that the profession’s credibility, coupled with its precision and ethics, positions accountants as natural leaders in sustainability assurance.
“By embracing sustainability assurance, accountants can restore public trust and give investors confidence that reported impacts are real, measurable, and enduring,” he added. “Our challenge is not adoption but adaptation, tailoring global standards to reflect Africa’s realities and resilience.”
Odunsi also spoke on the growing intersection of digital innovation and sustainability assurance, highlighting how automation, artificial intelligence, and data analytics can help auditors verify ESG claims, detect greenwashing, and strengthen the credibility of sustainability disclosures.
He praised ICAN’s foresight in spotlighting sustainability reporting and assurance as central to the profession’s future, describing it as a “strategic recalibration of purpose” for the accounting community.
Odunsi said Sahara Group’s sustainability framework integrates environmental responsibility, social impact, and ethical governance across its energy and infrastructure operations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
“At Sahara, we believe transparency is the bridge between ambition and accountability,” he said. “Our journey toward a cleaner, more inclusive energy future is being driven by how we responsibly we measure, report, and act on our impact.”
Odunsi concluded by encouraging accountants and financial leaders to see sustainability assurance not as an additional compliance requirement, but as an ethical responsibility to build trust, preserve value, and drive Africa’s transformation narrative. “In an era where trust is the new currency, the accountant’s signature is more powerful than ever. It certifies truth and with sustainability assurance, that truth extends beyond balance sheets,” he said.
