Some Nigerian companies in various sectors of the economy were recently rewarded for their contributions to the economic development of the country at the median Annual Employers Excellence Awards organised by the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA).
Among the awardees were Dangote Fertilizer/Projects, MTN Nigeria Limited, British American Tobacco Nigeria Limited, Capital Hotels Plc, Cititrust Holdings Plc, Techspecialist Consulting Limited and Frieslandcanpina WAMCO Nigeria Plc.
Others included Netcodietsmann Company Limited, TGI Group ABC Transport Plc, AMECO Industries, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Ashaka Securities Co Limited.
These companies were 100 employers that participated in the competition.
They were rewarded based on their performance on leadership and governance; innovation, productivity and corporate performance; effective, human resources management and industrial relations; responsible business conduct; inclusiveness and diversity; technological optimization and occupational health and safety.
In his welcome address at the occasion, President of NECA, Taiwo Adeniyi, said, “This is the first edition of the awards, whose major objective among others is to reward and celebrate the doggedness and resilience of organised businesses in Nigeria.
“As the Voice of Business and the most representative Business Membership Organisation in Nigeria, there is no better organisation positioned to organise an Employers’ Award.”
Adeniyi added: “As you are well aware, Nigerian enterprises are arguably the most dogged and resilient in the world despite the myriads of challenges besetting the operating environment; Nigerian businesses have continued to exhibit resilience and fortitude.”
According to him, “while some have buckled under the excruciating local and global operating pressure of unfavourable circumstances; and others relocated in the quest for survival, most organisations have continued to trudge along amidst the prevailing turbulence.
“In doing this, Nigerian enterprises have demonstrated social responsibility and fruitful partnership with Government through the provision of employment opportunities for teeming youths and payment of taxes and levies to the Government at all levels for developmental purpose.”
The Director-General of NECA, Timothy Olawale, said since its formation in 1957, the NECA has evolved, from an Employers’ Federation to a globally acclaimed and highly respected Business Membership Organisation.
According to him, “over the years, we have built collaborations locally and globally, influenced socio-economic policies within and outside the country and redefined standards for promoting enterprise competitiveness,” adding “we have spent time in the trenches for the survival of businesses, we have not really gathered to celebrate the resilience and doggedness that has kept us going.”
“Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, who also spoke at the event commended NECA for coming with the initiative which he said would boost productivity and economic development, adding that the event could not have come at a better time than now.