Patricia Obo-Nai has urged companies undergoing ownership changes to prioritize robust governance controls, warning that operational vulnerabilities often emerge during periods of transition. The Telecel Ghana chief executive delivered the keynote address at the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Ghana 2025 Governance Forum, drawing on lessons from her company’s transformation from Vodafone Ghana.
Speaking on the theme Governance Amidst Transition, Obo-Nai told the audience that transitions reveal whether institutions were built on solid foundations or convenient assumptions. She highlighted a common governance failure where organizations mistakenly believe existing controls will automatically transfer into new structures.
The IIA Governance Forum serves as an annual platform bringing together senior executives, board members, risk and audit professionals, and policymakers to advance good governance across public and private sectors. The gathering equips participants with insights and tools needed to build resilient institutions.
Obo-Nai detailed how Telecel Ghana’s leadership established a Risk Council composed of cross-functional team members to conduct risk reviews and audit sessions throughout the transition. The telecommunications company integrated internal auditors into the redesign process from day one, a decision that prevented control gaps commonly experienced after major acquisitions and mergers.
The CEO described the transition as a comprehensive shift affecting every business segment. The process involved replacing numerous systems, creating and localizing new roles, revising and redocumenting processes, and embedding new working methods without compromising commitments to employees, customers, and stakeholders.
Telecel Ghana implemented what Obo-Nai called a Control Continuity Plan to monitor financial, operational, and reputational risks on a daily basis. The company treated data migration as its most critical exposure during the transformation. She reported that the approach produced one of the smoothest transitions in business, achieving the company’s lowest attrition levels during a major organizational shift.
Telecel Group acquired Vodafone’s 70 percent stake in Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited in 2023, triggering a major transformation for Ghana’s second largest telecom operator. The rebranding to Telecel Ghana was completed in 2024, accompanied by increased investment and innovation toward an advanced digital future.
Obo-Nai challenged Ghanaian corporate leaders to view transitions as defining moments in leadership and governance. She offered three lessons applicable to major transitions across industries: embedding audit early, confronting internal cultural uncertainty directly, and protecting data with uncompromising discipline. These principles, she argued, determine whether a transition strengthens or weakens an organization.
The Ghana chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors convenes the Governance Forum annually as part of its mission to promote and develop internal auditing practice. This year’s forum spotlighted agile governance models for navigating economic and institutional transformation through expert panels, capacity building sessions, and peer exchanges, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and internal audit functions in safeguarding institutional integrity.