In recognition of his contributions to peace-building, governance, conflict prevention, and institutional resilience, the Peace-Building Coordinator of Partners for Peace in the Niger Delta (P4P), a project of the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), Lawal Africas, has been inducted as a Fellow of the Association of Enterprise Risk Management Professionals (AERMP).

Speaking Wednesday, Africas Lawal stated that the fellowship honour was conferred during the association’s induction ceremony held at James Hope University, Lekki, Lagos State.

Africas Lawal described the recognition as “a new milestone from the field to the boardroom,” Africas said the fellowship represents the growing relevance of grassroots peace-building experience in shaping governance systems, institutional resilience, and strategic risk management across Africa.

In a chat with our reporter after the induction, he commended the leadership of AERMP for the honour, noting that the recognition would further strengthen his commitment to peace, security, sustainable development, and service to humanity.

In his words: “For over a decade, our work through PIND Foundation and Partners for Peace has focused on crisis response, conflict mitigation, stakeholder engagement, and strengthening community resilience across the Niger Delta”.

According to him, the fellowship symbolises a bridge between community-based peace-building efforts and boardroom governance structures at a time when institutions are increasingly required to respond to complex security and development challenges.

He stated: “The peace-building expert, who holds the traditional title of Asuku I of Oloibiri Kingdom in Bayelsa State, is a Chartered Mediator, Conciliator, and Community Development Expert”.

“He is also a Fellow of the Occupational Safety and Health Association, United Kingdom; the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators; and the Institute of Management Consultants”.

“Africas is an alumnus of the University of Port Harcourt and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Accra, Ghana.

He serves on the boards of the Initiative for Sustainable Peace and Entrepreneurship Development and the Sustainable Initiative for Nurturing Growth, while also belonging to the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (UN OSAA) Knowledge Network”.

“His international engagements include an exchange programme with the Polish Ministry of Education in partnership with AIESEC, where he taught entrepreneurship and cultural education in over 20 high schools across Poland”.

“He has also collaborated with the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa as a member of its Knowledge Network, and with the Wheeler Institute at London Business School as a Research Councillor”.

Africas noted that the AERMP fellowship would further enhance his ability to translate field-level security realities, ESG-related risks, and peace-building intelligence into structured governance frameworks and sustainable institutional risk management systems.

He reaffirmed his commitment to building resilient institutions, strengthening peace architecture, and advancing sustainable development across Africa.