LCCI commends Nigerian companies for innovation, resilience
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has praised the courage, resilience and innovation of Nigerian businesses even in the face of economic turbulence.
“We are today celebrating enterprises that have excelled in the economy amidst multitude of challenges in the investment environment. We are also excited that many of them are indigenous enterprises. There is no perfect time to make an impact,” Nike Akande, president, LCCI, said at the chamber’s 2017 Commerce and Industry Awards held recently in Lagos.
Akande said the award was targeted at celebrating private and public institutions operating in Nigeria for their best business practices, growth through innovations, business sustainability and positive impact on the society.
She said while government was fixing the power sector, security challenges and foreign exchange issues, the private sector must continue with the business of creating wealth.
She added that though there were many entries from almost all sectors of the economy, the process of selecting nominees and award winners was painstaking and thorough.
Akinwumi Ambode, Lagos State governor, represented by Rotimi Ogunleye, commissioner for commerce and industry, acknowledged that economic challenges had delayed investments in manufacturing sub-sectors but pledged the commitment of the government to provide enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
Ambode implored the private sector, especially large enterprises, to push the country to the global space, stressing that the private sector was the engine of growth in any economy.
Some of the firms and institutions that won awards included the National Bureau of Statistics (public sector institution of the year), Indomie (brand of the year), and Fidelity Bank (SME friendly bank), among others.
Michael Olawale-Cole, vice president of the LCCI, congratulated all the award-winning companies and institutions, stating that this was a testament that the country’s businesses were succeeding.
ODINAKA ANUDU