PEARL Awards for capital market excellence and performance in Nigeria, hosted its 2017 and 22nd edition since inception at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos.
The awards featured 17 sectoral leadership awards, 9 market excellence awards, 3 special recognition awards, 4 honorary awards and the overall highest award (The Pearl).
Winners of the 2017 PEARL awards
United Capital Plc, won five awards, three of which were in the main competitive award category. The firm emerged the overall 2017 PEARL award winner, with its Group CEO Mrs. Toyin Sanni receiving the 2017 most outstanding CEO award.
‘The PEARL’ award was based on United Capital’s outstanding operational and stock performance in 2016. Other awards won by United Capital Plc included Sectoral Leadership Award, Financial Services – Other Financial Institutions (Main Competitive Award Category), Sectoral Leadership Award, Highest Dividend Yield (Main Competitive Award Category), Good Corporate Governance Award (Special Recognition Award Category) and Outstanding CEO of the Year Award (Honorary Award Category).
Former President, Council of the Nigeria Stock Exchange and Chairman Coronation Capital Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CON received the special honorary award for capital market development, in recognition of his contribution to capital market growth within and outside Nigeria.
Temple Asaju of Channels Television bagged the 2017 Capital Market Journalist of the year award.
Television Continental (TVC) received the Media award for capital market reporting.
President/CEO of PEARL Awards, Mr. Tayo Orekoya in his opening remarks, said that since 1995 the awards nite has remain focused on honouring and encouraging resounding and outstanding capital market performers, who are contributing immensely to the growth of the market.
Mr. Orekoya noted that the theme for 2017, “Winning with Tenacity” captured quoted companies who performed remarkably despite the challenges of the 2016 financial year, which witnessed the economic recession in the country. He said it was an opportunity to celebrate dogged market winners and leaders, who are creating value in the market.
Giving an overview of the awards, Mr. Orekoya stressed that Pearl Awards was not based on sentiments, but performance and took into consideration 9 performance indices. The visioner was happy to inform stakeholders that apex regulator of the capital market, the Securities and Exchange Commission endorsed the awards ceremony since 2003.
Chairman of the occasion Gen Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) former Head of State of Nigeria commended the Pearl Awards for over 2 decades commitment to promoting market excellence in the country. According to him, “Despite challenging economic environment, we must continue to encourage quoted companies and investors that are doing well in the capital market”.
Gowon asserted that stakeholders in the market, must work assiduously to build a country that promotes entrepreneurship. He harped on the need for the driving of activities in the non-oil sector through the public-private partnership approach which he believed could unlock new jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.
Attendees to the event include; Mrs. Lola Akande (Commissioner for Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Lagos representing Governor Akinwunmi Ambode), Alhaji U.F Abdullahi (Chairman, PEARL Awards Board), Mr. Wole Adetunji (Former DG, SEC Nigeria), Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Mohammed (President/Chairman of Council, IOD Nigeria), Dr. Abiodun Adedipe (Member, Board of Governors, PEARL Awards), Mrs. Toyin Sanni (GCEO, United Capital), Mr. Valentine Ozigbo (CEO, Transcorp Hilton), Mr Valentine Obi (CEO, eTranzact PLC), Mr. Eguarekhide Longe (MD/CEO AIICO Pensions), Mr. Olufemi Awoyemi (CEO, Proshare Nigeria) and Mr. Funso Akere (CEO, Stanbic IBTC Capital) amongst others.
