Transnational Corporation Plc, the Debt Management Office (DMO), CardinalStone, Chapel Hill Denham and MTN Nigeria Communications were among the recipients at the 2025 Made of Africa Awards hosted by Nigerian Exchange Group, recognising institutions driving performance across Nigeria’s capital markets.
The awards honour brokers, issuing houses, trustees, fund managers, listed companies and other market participants for excellence in value delivery, compliance and market impact.
Among the recipients, First Trustees Limited won Best Trustees in Terms of Deal Value, while Legend Internet Plc received the Market Debut Excellence award.
CardinalStone Securities emerged as Equity Trader of the Year and Broker of the Year, Capital Express Securities won ETPs Trader of the Year, and Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers was named Fixed Income Trader of the Year.
Chapel Hill Denham received awards for Fund Manager with the Largest Listed Fund Size and Market Operator with the Highest Value of Foreign Portfolio Investment Transactions.
Mainstreet Capital and APT Securities and Funds jointly won Issuing House with the Highest Number of Primary Market Equity Transactions, while Anchoria Advisory Services led in corporate bond issuances.
Dangote Cement was named Best Issuer in Terms of Fixed Income Listings, BUA Cement received the award for Most Compliant Listed Company, and Transnational Corporation Plc was honoured for Capital Market Excellence in Equity.
Network Capital was named Most Compliant Trading License Holder, United Capital Securities won Best Sponsoring Trading License Holder, and Banwo and Ighodalo received recognition for legal advisory value in capital market transactions.
Special recognition went to the Debt Management Office for fixed income market development and to the Capital Markets Correspondence Association of Nigeria for capital market reporting, while Lambeth Capital/Bamboo Systems Technology were recognised for onboarding the highest number of new retail investor accounts.
The awards come as NGX Group continues efforts to broaden market participation and deepen liquidity across equity and fixed income segments.
Umaru Kwairanga, group chairman, NGX Group said the awards underscore the role of market stakeholders in strengthening investor confidence and improving market standards. “Their achievements set a benchmark for performance, integrity and innovation across the capital market,” he said. He added that sustaining this level of discipline and transparency is essential to maintaining the trust of both domestic and international investors in Nigeria’s financial markets.
Temi Popoola, group managing director and chief executive officer, NGX Group emphasised the importance of collaboration and operational efficiency stating “Operational efficiency and cooperation across the ecosystem are increasingly important as trading activity diversifies and investor expectations continue to rise”
Adding a regulatory perspective, Bola Ajomale, executive commissioner, operations, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), said the awards underscore the value of compliance and transparency in market development. “Recognition through the Made of Africa Awards reinforces the importance of adherence to market rules and standards. When operators demonstrate accountability and professionalism, it strengthens investor confidence, ensures market integrity, and supports sustainable growth across Nigeria’s financial markets,” he said.
Jude Chiemeka, chief executive officer of Nigerian Exchange Limited said recognising strong performance across the ecosystem supports deeper market participation and long term capital mobilisation.
Iheanyi Nwachukwu
Iheanyi Nwachukwu, is a creative content writer with almost two decades journalism experience writing on banking, finance, capital markets, and tax. The multiple awards winning journalist is Assistant Editor, BusinessDay. Iheanyi holds BSc Degree in Economics from Imo State University; Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Management from University of Lagos.
Iheanyi has attended several work-related trainings including (i) Advanced Writing and Reporting Skills (Pan African University, Lagos); (ii) News Agency Journalism (Indian Institute of Mass Communication {IIMC}, New Delhi, India); and (iii) Capital Markets Development and Regulations (International Law Institute {ILI} of Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA).
Other trainings Iheanyi attended include: Economic/Political Risk Analysis (By Thomson Reuters Foundation); International Financial Journalism (IFJ) (By PMA Media Training, UK); Effective Business Writing Skills (By Phillips Consulting); Reporting on Corporate Governance (By International Finance Corporation (IFC) & Thomson Reuters Foundation UK); etc. In addition, he has participated in high-level economy & markets events in Dubai, South Africa, Morocco, and other African countries like Zambia, Ghana and Gambia.
