Some of Nigeria’s biggest corporate players — including Dangote Cement, Zenith Bank, Access Holdings, Seplat Energy, AIICO Insurance, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), First HoldCo, NEM Insurance, and Axa Mansard Insurance — have been recognised as the nation’s top-performing publicly listed firms at the inaugural NextMoney Top 100 Companies Awards.
The awards, organised by NextMoney Magazine, a publication of the Centre for Financial Journalism (CFJ), honoured high-performing companies based on a detailed analysis of their 2024 audited financial statements on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX).
The event, themed “Nigeria’s Top 100 Companies: Yesterday, Today and the Future,” took place on Friday, October 3, 2025, at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. It was chaired by Dr. Ije Jidenma, Chairman of the Nigeria–South Africa Chamber of Commerce, with Mr. Olufemi Awoyemi, mni, Chairman of Proshare Nigeria, delivering the keynote address.
In the global category, Access Holdings stood out, clinching two major awards: The Largest Company in Nigeria (by total assets) and The Largest Company in Nigeria by Revenue. Dangote Cement also secured two top honours — The Most Valuable Company in Nigeria (by market capitalisation) and The Largest Company in Nigeria by Number of Employees.
Zenith Bank emerged as The Most Profitable Company in Nigeria, while Seplat Energy received recognition as The Highest Tax-Paying Company in Nigeria.
Within the banking sector, Access Holdings won The Largest Bank in Nigeria and The Largest Bank by Revenue, while Zenith Bank earned titles for The Most Profitable Bank and The Highest Tax-Paying Bank. GTCO was named The Most Valuable Bank in Nigeria, and First HoldCo took home the award for The Largest Bank by Number of Employees.
In the insurance sector, AIICO Insurance dominated with three awards — The Largest Insurance Company in Nigeria, The Largest by Revenue, and The Largest by Number of Employees. Axa Mansard Insurance won The Most Valuable Insurance Company and The Highest Tax-Paying Insurance Company, while NEM Insurance was recognised as The Most Profitable Insurance Company.
Dangote Cement swept the manufacturing sector, winning all five available awards: The Largest Manufacturing Company in Nigeria, The Most Profitable, The Most Valuable, The Largest by Revenue, and The Highest Tax-Paying Manufacturing Company.
Delivering the welcome address, Mr. Ernest Ebi, MFR, Chairman of the Centre for Financial Journalism (represented by Professor Akpan Ekpo), said the awards stand out for their transparency and objectivity, as they are based strictly on audited financial statements.
“This is not an award you can lobby for or influence. It is earned. It is deserved,” Ebi said, stressing the need to celebrate firms that uphold financial discipline, good governance, and shareholder value.
“In a time when trust in institutions is paramount, these companies exemplify the resilience and integrity driving Nigeria’s economic growth. They are not only profitable; they are principled,” he added.
In his keynote address, Mr. Awoyemi urged the winning firms to look beyond present achievements and plan strategically for the future. “Corporate success is not about the certainty of today but about meeting the needs of tomorrow,” he said, encouraging companies to align their strategies with emerging trends to stay relevant over the next decade.
