Chief Yomi Otubela, Proprietor of Lagooz Schools in Orile Agege, Lagos State, who was the Chairman of the Industry’s Top 50 Nigerian Companies of Impact 2026 event, has called on Nigerian businesses to redefine success beyond profit by prioritising job creation, innovation, good governance and local content.
Otubela made the call recently at the 2026 Top 50 Nigerian Companies of Impact Awards held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, organised by The Industry Newspaper under the theme “Building Resilience, Driving Growth: Nigerian Companies Shaping the Next Decade.”
“What we are celebrating today is not simply business success. We are celebrating impact,” Otubela said. “In a country like Nigeria, where businesses operate in a challenging and constantly changing environment, we must ask: Beyond making a profit, what difference is a company making?”
He listed key measures of impact to include number of people employed, youth trained, investment in innovation, use of local suppliers, responsible business conduct, and contribution to communities. “And perhaps the most important question is this: what would Nigeria be missing if that company did not exist? For me, that is what makes the Top 50 Nigerian Companies of Impact different.”
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Addressing the theme, Otubela acknowledged the tough operating environment marked by inflation, FX pressures, rising costs and infrastructure gaps. Yet, he noted, Nigerian businesses have continued to adapt, invest, and grow. “Resilience should mean more than simply surviving difficult times. It means the ability to face difficulties, learn from them, adapt, and come out stronger,” he stated.
“A resilient company does not only ask, ‘How do we get through this year?’ It also asks, ‘What must we do differently to remain relevant over the next ten years?’
Otubela stressed that Nigeria’s development cannot be left to the government alone. He urged the private sector to turn entrepreneurial energy into productive, scalable businesses that can compete beyond Nigeria’s borders and build respected Nigerian brands. He singled out job creation as a critical measure of impact.
“When a company creates a job, it does more than add another person to its payroll. It gives someone an opportunity to earn a living, support a family, develop skills, and plan for the future. That is impact.”
He encouraged businesses to also train young professionals, support SMEs, and create opportunities for women and young people as part of nation-building.
The Chairman said innovation must solve real problems, from cheaper production to better access to financial, health, and education services. “Our problems should not always be seen simply as obstacles. Some of them can become opportunities for Nigerian companies to develop solutions that can eventually be exported.”
On governance, he said trust is a company’s most valuable asset. “Without integrity, accountability, and responsible leadership, success may not last. Good corporate governance is part of building a business that can survive leadership changes and economic difficulties.”
He also called for stronger local content. “When large companies deliberately source from Nigerian manufacturers, farmers, and service providers, they help create a wider ecosystem of economic activity. This is how corporate growth translates into broader economic growth.”
Congratulating the 2026 honourees, Otubela said the recognition should be “a reminder of the responsibility that comes with success.”
He challenged them: “Can we create more jobs? Train more young Nigerians? Develop more local suppliers? Invest more in research? Become more environmentally responsible? And can our success help other Nigerian businesses succeed?”
“Let us look beyond the next quarter. Let us think about the next generation. Let us build companies that will outlive us and create institutions that will continue to create value,” he concluded.
“The next decade of Nigeria will not simply happen to us. We will shape it through the decisions we make, the businesses we build, the people we empower, and the value we create.”
Photo Caption L-R: Proprietor of Lagooz Schools in Orile Agege/Chairman of the Industry Top 50 Nigerian Companies of Impact, Chief Yomi Otubela; General Manager, Channels TV Media Academy, Partnerships and Corporate Communication, Channels Television, Kingsley Uranta; Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, The Industry Newspaper, Goddie Ofose; Principal Consultant, NECCI CONSULTING, Dr. Nkechi Ali-Balogun; and President, Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN), Mrs. Tolulope Medebem, during the 2026 Top 50 Nigerian Companies of Impact unveiling at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos recently.
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