The head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), Didi Walson-Jack, has called on institutions in the country to shift from reactive responses to preventive, forward-looking strategies in risk management.

Mrs Walson-Jack made the call 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). 

The Conference had the theme “Turning Risks into Opportunities: Preventive Instead of Reactive Responses”.

Represented by Kalba Usman, permanent secretary, Common Service Office, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), she said that foresight and strategic readiness had become defining qualities of 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.”

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

She said that by interrogating risks and designing preventive frameworks, practitioners played decisive roles in strengthening national institutions.

She also lauded the institute for its consistent leadership over the last 15 years, noting that its conferences had 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.

The head of service, therefore, urged participants to engage boldly and innovatively, while emphasising 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,  Harriet Akubuiko, urged practitioners to embrace proactive strategies that transform risks into opportunities rather than responding reactively after damages had occurred.

Mrs Akubuiro explained that 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 the 2025 theme built on that foundation by promoting preventive and forward-looking strategies.

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

The keynote speaker, 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 a need to translate insights into impact by turning risk into success.

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

 (NAN)