Organisers of the PEARL Awards, dedicated to recognising excellence within Nigeria’s capital and money market ecosystem, have announced plans to make the 2025 edition a memorable milestone.

At a weekend press briefing in Lagos, the Board of Governors of PEARL Awards Nigeria, led by Chairman Dr. Faruk Umar and President Mr. Tayo Orekoya, along with board members including Chief (Mrs) Eniola Fadayomi, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, and Alhaji Tijani Borodo, unveiled the nominees for this year’s Awards.

The 2025 ceremony, themed “Celebrating a Legacy of Corporate Excellence,” is scheduled for Sunday, November 30, 2025, at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, and will adopt a hybrid format, allowing both physical and virtual participation.

A Milestone 30th Anniversary Edition

Dr. Umar highlighted that this is the 30th anniversary edition of the PEARL Awards, promising a “showstopper” celebration while commending the resilience of the Board over the years.

Mr. Orekoya reinforced the Awards’ commitment to fairness, transparency, and objectivity, describing it as “the only capital market performance-based award in Nigeria founded on empirical data.”

The 2025 Awards will honour corporate excellence across three major categories:

1. Main Competitive Awards – covering Sectoral Leadership Awards, Market Excellence Awards, and the prestigious PEARL of the Nigerian Stock Market.
2. Honorary Awards – including PEARL CEO of the Year.
3. Special Recognition Awards – such as the Corporate Governance Award.

To mark the 30th anniversary, the Board has introduced two new distinctions: PEARL Excellence in Public Governance Award and PEARL Excellence in Public Service Award.

Notable Nominees

The Awards will see competition from leading Nigerian companies, including but not limited to:

• Manufacturing & Consumer Goods: Livestock Feeds Plc, Okomu Oil Palm Plc, Presco Plc, Champion Breweries Plc, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Unilever Nigeria Plc, P.Z. Cussons Nigeria Plc
• Financial & Investment Services: Guaranty Trust Holding Co. Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, FBN Holdings Plc, United Capital Plc, Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc
• Energy & Real Estate: Seplat Energy Plc, TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc, Dangote Cement Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc, UPDC Real Estate Investment Trust

Lifetime Achievement & Recognition

Orekoya also announced the approval of the second PEARL Lifetime Achievement Award, following the first conferment to Alhaji Aliko Dangote during the 25th anniversary edition in 2020.

Describing the Awards Nite as “a grand celebration of resilience and distinction,” he said the event will bring together industry leaders, government officials, capital market operators, and media partners to recognise companies demonstrating exceptional operational performance despite market challenges.

He concluded by expressing gratitude to the media for their consistent partnership over the past 30 years, urging continued support in highlighting the Awards’ role in strengthening corporate governance, investor confidence, and national economic growth.