05 MARCH 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Good Governance Africa is sad to announce the passing of its Nigeria chairman, respected corporate figure Oluseyi Bickersteth.
Mr Bickersteth, a former chairman of KPMG Africa, died in his sleep at his home in Lagos on Wednesday morning. He has been GGA’s Nigeria chairman since the office opened in 2015.
He served on the boards of several corporate and other entities, but is perhaps best known for his involvement in Nigeria’s tax reform initiatives.
He chaired a working group that analysed and prioritised strategies to reform the tax system developed by a study group. The report was submitted to the federal government in March 2004.
Both reports provided the platform for the commencement of reforms of Nigeria’s tax system, work which is still ongoing.
An economics graduate of the University of Ibadan and York University, Canada, he spent his career as an auditor and management consultant and was a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCTI).
GGA SADC chairman Robert Rose described Mr Bickersteth as an “exceptional person”.
Dr Ola Bello, Executive Director of GGA Nigeria, spoke of Mr Bickersteth as “simply humane”, a gentle, patient and methodical man who laboured daily with love, giving his invaluable time in enabling and nurturing.
One news organisation described him as a giant “who in his time shaped great minds, shaped economies, built organisations and impacted corporations”.
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