By Rukayat Moisemhe
Mrs Folasade Akinmusire, an author, says company secretaries have transitioned from administrative support roles to strategic advisers, playing a critical role in strengthening board effectiveness, governance, risk management and long-term organisational sustainability.
She made the submission at the launch of her book, The Evolving Role of the Company Secretary: The Quiet Catalyst, on Saturday in Lagos.
Akinmusire said company secretaries had become central to ensuring effective board operations, regulatory compliance and sound governance in an increasingly complex business environment.
She said boards now operated amid rapid regulatory changes, geopolitical uncertainties, cyber security threats, evolving Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) expectations and technological disruptions, making the role more strategic than ever.
“The company secretary today stands at the intersection of law, governance, strategy and business.
“The role requires balancing compliance with commercial realities, supporting effective decision-making, safeguarding corporate integrity and ensuring governance enables innovation rather than impedes it,” she said.
Akinmusire said effective company secretaries contributed far beyond statutory compliance by improving board deliberations, strengthening enterprise risk management, enhancing investor confidence and promoting transparency and accountability.
She noted that while digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) were transforming governance through automated compliance, it could not replace professional judgement, integrity, ethical leadership, discretion and trust.
“The future belongs to governance professionals who combine professional excellence with digital capability, strategic thinking, adaptability and continuous learning,” she said.
She added that governance should be viewed as a strategic investment rather than a cost centre, urging organisations to fully leverage the expertise of company secretaries.
Reviewing the book, Prof. Femi Badejo, an academic and diplomat, described the publication as a timely contribution to corporate governance literature.
Badejo likened the company secretary to a football referee whose work often went unnoticed but was essential to keeping the game together.
He said the publication highlighted the profession’s evolution from a largely administrative role to one with greater strategic relevance and visibility.
Ms Chinwe Odigboegwu, Head of Legal and Company Secretary , ATC Nigeria, said company secretaries were no longer mere note-takers, but governance coaches, trusted advisers and architects of accountability.
She said the profession now required a combination of technical expertise and emotional intelligence to manage boards, stakeholders, Annual General Meetings, ESG responsibilities and enterprise risks.
According to her, organisations that fail to empower company secretaries risk losing long-term value.
Dr Adeyinka Hassan, Founder, Centre for Enterprise Governance (CEG), warned that ineffective boards often remained silent even when governance failures were evident.
Hassan said silence in the boardroom was reflected not by the absence of discussions, but by the failure of directors to challenge assumptions, address conflicts of interest, demand accountability or act on emerging risks.
He warned that unresolved governance issues could escalate into financial losses, reputational damage, regulatory sanctions and institutional failure.
“The boardroom should never be the quietest place in an organisation when the organisation itself is in distress.
“A questioning boardroom is not an unstable boardroom; it is an alert boardroom. A courageous boardroom is management’s most important partner in building a sustainable institution,” he said.
Mr Ayomide Akinmusire the author’s son, said the book reflected the transformation of company secretaries into trusted advisers, custodians of governance and strategic partners to boards and chief executives.
He described the publication as a valuable resource for governance professionals and institutions seeking to strengthen accountability and sustainable leadership. (NAN)
Edited by Buhari Bolaji