NICO Group Chief Operating Officer, Dr Kwanele Ngwenya, and Group Head of Internal Audit, Thokozile Kuwali, participated in the 12th AFIIA Governance Forum held on 25-26 May 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa, under the theme “From Oversight to Insight: Elevating the Audit Committee in Modern Governance.” 

The forum brought together internal audit and governance leaders from across Africa to engage on strengthening audit committee effectiveness, board dynamics, and risk oversight in an evolving governance landscape. 

In his keynote address, Dr Kwanele Ngwenya emphasised the central role of audit committees in governance, stating, “Audit Committees sit at the critical intersection between governance, risk, assurance, and stakeholder confidence.” 

He further noted that audit committee effectiveness is largely shaped by how well they navigate board dynamics and multiple stakeholder expectations. 

In his address, he highlighted that strong board relationships, communication, and alignment are key to improving oversight and decision-making, while underscoring the role of internal audit in enabling proactive governance. 

The AFIIA Chair and NICO Group Head of Internal Audit, Thokozile Kuwali, in her opening remarks at the forum, called for unity in the profession under the theme “One IIA, One Africa, One Voice,” and highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen governance structures, ethics, and capacity building across the continent. 

The participation of Dr Kwanele Ngwenya and Thokozile Kuwali reflects NICO Group’s continued commitment to strong governance, accountability, and alignment with global internal audit and risk management best practices.