Lagos event to celebrate enterprise, leadership, innovation and responsible employment
The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) is set to honour outstanding employers and organisations across the country at the fifth edition of its Employers’ Excellence Awards, scheduled to hold in November in Lagos.
The 2026 edition of the awards will recognise organisations that have distinguished themselves through business performance, workplace excellence, leadership, innovation, employee development, good governance and responsible employment practices.
The awards, themed “Celebrating Excellence in Enterprise, Leadership and Responsible Employment,” are designed to spotlight businesses that have demonstrated that commercial success can be achieved alongside strong commitments to employees, ethical leadership and broader societal development.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NECA said the awards had evolved into an important platform for recognising employers whose operations go beyond financial performance to include investment in people and positive contributions to society.
“Over the years, the NECA Employers’ Excellence Awards has become an important platform for recognising organisations that combine business success with responsible leadership, investment in people and positive contributions to society,” the association said.
It added that the awards would also celebrate employers demonstrating excellence in employee welfare, diversity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility, innovation and sustainable enterprise development.
Oyerinde: Awards inspire businesses
The Director-General of NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said the 2026 awards would provide an opportunity to showcase organisations setting high standards in the Nigerian business environment.
According to him, the initiative is not merely about recognising successful companies but also about highlighting employers whose practices contribute to the development of Nigeria’s economy and workforce.
“The Employers’ Excellence Awards has become a beacon of inspiration for businesses in Nigeria. It provides an opportunity to celebrate organisations that demonstrate that enterprise success can go hand in hand with responsible employment, strong leadership, innovation and investment in people.
“This year’s theme reflects our commitment to recognising employers that are setting high standards and contributing meaningfully to the growth and development of Nigeria,” Oyerinde said.
He said recognising such organisations could encourage other businesses to adopt stronger workplace standards and deepen their investment in employees.
Open to employers across sectors
NECA said participation in the 2026 awards would be open to employers across all sectors, regardless of their size, industry or operating environment.
The broad eligibility is intended to give organisations of different scales an opportunity to present their achievements, demonstrate their workplace practices and receive recognition for the value they create for employees, businesses and society.
Participation in the awards is free, according to the employers’ association.
The initiative is also expected to provide organisations with an opportunity to benchmark their workplace practices against recognised standards while drawing attention to initiatives that have delivered measurable benefits to their employees and communities.
Business leaders expected at Lagos ceremony
The awards ceremony is expected to bring together business leaders, chief executive officers, human resources professionals, policymakers and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s private-sector and employment ecosystem.
NECA said the event would extend beyond the presentation of awards, providing a platform for networking, knowledge sharing and the development of strategic partnerships among participating organisations and stakeholders.
The association is therefore calling on employers across the country and from all sectors of the economy to submit nominations for the various award categories.
The fifth edition comes at a time when Nigerian businesses are navigating a challenging operating environment while facing increasing pressure to improve productivity, retain talent, strengthen governance and maintain responsible employment practices.
Against this backdrop, NECA said the awards would shine a light on organisations that are demonstrating resilience and excellence while maintaining a commitment to their workforce and wider responsibilities to society.