THISDAY Awards: Nominees For Company of the Year

Dangote Petrochemical and Refining Company

The Dangote Group is a Nigerian multinational industrial conglomerate, founded by Aliko Dangote. It is the largest conglomerate in West Africa and one of the largest on the African continent. The group employs more than 30,000 people, generating revenue in excess of $4.1 billion in 2017.

On May 22, 2023, the Dangote Refinery was inaugurated in Lekki, Nigeria, which has the capacity to process about 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, making it the largest single-train refinery in the world.

The core business focus of the Group, which started operations in 1978, is to provide local, value-added products and services that meet the ‘basic needs’ of the populace. Dangote Group is  a diversified and fully integrated conglomerate. The Group’s interests span a range of sectors in Nigeria and across Africa.

 Toleram Group

Tolaram Group is a holding company headquartered in Singapore with diversified business interests in consumer goods, fintech, infrastructure and industrials. It has a presence across Asia, Africa, Europe and South America.

Founded in 1948, in 1988, Tolaram Group began exporting to Nigeria instant noodles manufactured by Indofoods of the Salim Group of Indonesia and Maggi of the Nestlé brought by Indofood as well as its joint venture in Indonesia. Further investments were made in the country when the group absorbed the haulage business of Blackwood Hodge integrating it with its Indomie enterprise to deliver supplies to wholesalers.

Indomie instant noodles gradually thrived in the Nigerian market, significant growth was achieved after the return of democracy in 1999 and the brand soon came to dominate the market.

Oando Plc

Oando Plc has had a remarkable year, earning recognition as a leading energy company in Nigeria. One of its most notable achievements is winning the “Deal of the Year” award at the Africa Energy Week 2024, for its landmark acquisition of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) from Eni, an Italian energy firm, for $783 million.

Under the leadership of its Group Chief Executive, Adewale Tinubu, Oando has demonstrated its commitment to excellence and innovation in the energy sector, transforming from a petroleum marketing company to a formidable integrated energy group, recognised globally for its industry leadership.

Oando became the first African company to achieve a cross-border inward listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), emerging as Nigeria’s first indigenous oil company with interest in producing deepwater assets.