Zenith Bank, Dangote Cement Dominate at 2025 Next Money Top 100 Companies Awards

The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, was aglow with prestige on Friday night as leading figures in Nigeria’s corporate and financial sectors gathered for the 2025 Next Money Top 100 Companies Awards – a data-driven celebration of performance, resilience, and impact.

The annual event, organised by Next Money, Nigeria’s foremost financial journalism platform, recognised outstanding companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange for their contributions to the economy through innovation, profitability, tax compliance, and job creation.

‘Awards Based on Facts, Not Favours’

In his opening address, renowned economist Professor Akpan Ekpo, represented by Ernest Ebi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Centre for Financial Journalism, stressed the integrity of the evaluation process.

“These awards are a celebration of facts, not favours,” Ekpo said. “They are anchored on audited financials and objective analysis. The numbers never lie.”

Keynote: Building Legacies, Not Seasons

Delivering the keynote lecture, Olufemi Modupe Awoyemi, Chairman of Proshare Awards, challenged Nigerian corporate leaders to prioritise sustainability over short-term gains.

“Most managers in Nigeria think in terms of seasons rather than decades,” Awoyemi noted, citing the decline of firms like Unilever Nigeria and PZ Cussons as cautionary tales of poor adaptation and weak governance.

“Longevity is not a game, it is the product of strategy, ethics, and truth,” he declared, urging businesses to embrace intergenerational planning, digital transformation, and transparent leadership.

Sector Highlights: Banking, Manufacturing, Insurance

The evening spotlighted top performers across key sectors of the economy.

Banking:

Access Holdings was named Nigeria’s Largest Bank and Largest by Revenue.

Zenith Bank Plc clinched the prize for Nigeria’s Most Profitable Company overall, alongside Most Profitable Bank and Highest Tax-Paying Bank.

GTCO Plc took home the title of Most Valuable Bank.

First HoldCo Plc was recognised as the Largest Employer in banking.

Manufacturing:

Dangote Cement Plc achieved a clean sweep, winning in six categories, including Most Profitable, Largest by Revenue, and Highest Tax-Paying Manufacturer. The haul reaffirmed its dominance in Africa’s cement industry.

Insurance:

AIICO Insurance Plc led the insurance sector, emerging as Nigeria’s Largest Insurer and securing awards for revenue and employment strength.

National and Global Impact

At the broader national level, Access Holdings was declared Nigeria’s Largest Company Overall and Largest by Revenue.

Zenith Bank Plc repeated its feat as the nation’s Most Profitable Company across all sectors, while Dangote Group was recognised as Nigeria’s Largest Employer of Labour — underscoring its outsized role in job creation and industrial development.

‘Not Popularity Contests’

Award presentations were led by Dr. Ray Echebiri, Editor-in-Chief of Next Money, who underscored the purpose of the initiative.

“The Next Money Top 100 Awards are not popularity contests,” Echebiri said. “They are grounded in transparency, accountability, and measurable excellence.”

The evening concluded with the national anthem, symbolically tying corporate success to national purpose.

About the Awards

The Next Money Top 100 Companies Awards is an annual programme honouring Nigeria’s best-performing listed firms. Companies are evaluated using audited results and indicators such as revenue, profit, market value, tax contributions, and employment impact.

In a period marked by global headwinds and domestic economic pressures, the 2025 edition offered a message of optimism: Nigerian companies can still achieve integrity, profitability, and sustainability — and in doing so, help secure the nation’s economic future.