Okonjo-Iweala, Others to Speak at National Values Conference Targeting Reset of Nigeria’s Moral Compass

The Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education is taking a bold step to address what it calls the “erosion of Nigeria’s moral fibre” by convening a high-level national conference to tackle the country’s values crisis.

The conference, themed “Trends and Challenges in Upholding Values in Nigeria”, will be held on November 13, 2025, at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt.

It will bring together some of the most respected voices in governance, development, religion, and academia to chart a path toward rebuilding Nigeria’s ethical foundation.

Leading the conversation will be Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO); Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, alongside African Development Bank (AfDB) President; Dr Akinwumi Adesina, former Attorney General; Kanu Agabi SAN, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto; Matthew Kukah, former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Dr Dakuku Peterside, and ICT and ethics scholar, Sunny Orige.

The conference will be chaired by the first military Governor of Rivers State and Amanyanabo of Twon Brass, His Majesty, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, with Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty, King Chike Worlu-Wodo as the Royal Father of the Day.

Special Guests of Honour will include the Governors of Rivers, Abia, Bayelsa, Ogun, Kaduna, and Delta States.

Founded in 2006 and incorporated in 2007, the Otonti Nduka Foundation has spent nearly two decades working to revive values such as honesty, justice, truth, discipline, and integrity, values it says are at the heart of solving Nigeria’s development challenges.

The Foundation warns that the country’s struggles with corruption, insecurity, poverty, and governance failures are symptoms of a deeper ethical collapse.

“Our aim is to use this conference as a forum for Nigerians from all walks of life to interrogate the national values landscape and collectively reset the compass of the society’s ethical and moral system.”

The budget for the event and follow-up programmes is estimated at ₦100 million. The Foundation is calling on governments, industry leaders, institutions, and individuals at home and abroad to partner and donate towards the cause, promising that every contribution will be duly acknowledged.

Past national conferences hosted by the Foundation have explored themes such as corruption, democracy, professional ethics, and national stability, attracting collaborations with the Nigerian Academy of Education and Rivers State University.

 The 2025 edition is expected to be its most ambitious yet blending global insights with local realities to spark a movement for lasting change in Nigeria’s moral landscape.