Collaboration, innovation key to unlocking Nigeria’s capital market potential — Orekoya

… Unveils nominees for 2026 PEARL award

Tayo Orekoya, CEO of Pearl Awards Nigeria, has said that the Nigerian capital market has continued to demonstrate considerable potential for expansion, innovation and sustainable growth but realizing the full potential will require sustained collaboration among government, regulatory authorities, securities exchanges, market operators, quoted companies, institutional investors and other stakeholders.

Orekoya who founded Pearl awards 31 years ago to reward top contributors to the development of Nigerian capital market called for continued policy consistency, regulatory innovation, stronger corporate governance, enhanced market transparency and deliberate initiatives aimed at broadening market participation.

“As a committed partner in the development of Nigeria’s capital market, PEARL Awards Nigeria will continue to complement the efforts of regulatory institutions by promoting performance excellence, encouraging healthy competition and recognizing organizations that consistently create sustainable stakeholder value,” he told newsmen at an event heralding the 2026 awards.

He promised that the Awards would continue to recognize outstanding corporate performance, leadership, and contributions to the development of Nigeria’s capital market.

The 2026 award scheduled for November 29, 2026 in Lagos with the theme “Celebrating Excellence, Inspiring the Future,” will adopt a hybrid format, combining physical attendance with live streaming to enable wider participation by stakeholders within Nigeria and across the diaspora.

He said this year’s nominees cut across the Sectoral Leadership, Market Excellence, and Special Recognition categories. They include companies competing for recognition in sectoral performance, financial and market indices, stockbroking, issuing-house services, and corporate governance.

Orekoya reaffirmed that the credibility of the Pearl Awards rests on a rigorous, research-driven assessment process based on measurable corporate performance. The methodology, he said incorporates ten financial and market indices, including turnover growth, return on equity, earnings yield, share price appreciation, dividend yield and profit margin.

He explained that the assessment draws on published annual reports of quoted companies filed with Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), alongside relevant NGX Daily Official Lists. “The results undergo review by the Awards’ Technical Committee before consideration and final approval by the Board of Governors.”

He stressed that winners are determined by performance outcomes rather than corporate influence, sponsorship considerations or popularity.

He also disclosed that making the Award Pan-African is on the pipeline.