Caption: Abdul Samad Rabiu, Founder, BUA Group (left) presenting an award to Kabiru Rabiu, Group Executive Director (Trade Finance & Logistics), BUA Group at the 2025 Night of Excellence in Lagos.
BUA Group, a Nigerian conglomerate with interests in foods, mining, manufacturing and infrastructure, at the weekend in Lagos honoured 510 outstanding employees across its various units recognised for putting in between five and over 40 years of loyalty, exceptional contribution and commitment, with total of ₦30 billion.
The ceremony tagged 2025 Night of Excellence and Long Service Awards, the group said in a statement, reflected a belief that has guided its operations from inception: enduring businesses are built by people.
The highest awardees going home with between ₦100 million and ₦1 billion. A further breakdown showed that 16 recipients received ₦100 million each, nine recipients got ₦200 million each, seven recipients of ₦250 million each, three recipients of ₦500 million each, five recipients of ₦1 billion each, and one special award recipient whose cash award was not announced at the event.
The special award was presented to Kabiru Rabiu in recognition of his exceptional loyalty, leadership, and long standing contribution to the growth and stability of the BUA Group.
Speaking at the event, Founder and Executive Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, said the evening was a moment to acknowledge loyalty, resilience, and shared ownership of the BUA journey.
He recalled that from modest beginnings 36 years ago, BUA has grown into one of Nigeria’s most valuable listed enterprises, with a combined market capitalisation now in the trillions of Naira.
He noted, however, that the journey was never the achievement of one man, one board, or capital alone, because in his words: “every factory built, every system strengthened, every challenge overcome, and every milestone reached carries the imprint of employees who believed in the vision long before the results were visible.”
He reaffirmed that BUA has always regarded its workforce as partners in a shared legacy rather than merely staff, adding that loyalty and professionalism are values that must be recognised in tangible ways.
Rabiu described the cash awards as a token of appreciation, noting that no amount of money can fully account for decades of dedication, personal sacrifice, and belief in the company’s mission.
Caption: Alhaji Samad Rabiu (left) and Dr. Kwairanga exchanging pleasantries at the awards ceremony.
Also speaking at the event to celebrate those stakeholders “who have rendered unblemished and excellent services to the various companies under the group for many years,” Alhaji (Dr) Umaru Kwairanga, Chairman NGX Group Plc, stressed that although the BUA Group vision was Alhaji Rabiu’s, which is why he still gives the strategic direction and guidance, “but the execution of that vision that led to the multi trillion naira group that we know as the Bua Group was the responsibility of those we honour tonight.
“Tonight, we recognise the work of the executive trainee who has risen to management level over the last decades through dint of hard work and skill as well as the junior staff who has woken up at 4am every day for 25 years to beat Lagos traffic and ensure that the office is clean and ready for business. Your efforts have not been in vain. Because of your dedication to your work and the company , the Bua Group stands out as a giant of corporate Nigeria and tonight, it deems it fit to reward your long years of service.”
This award, Kwairanga reminded the awardees, “is not a destination but an incentive for you to do more and reap more. I, therefore, urge our awardees to rededicate themselves to greater service to the Bua Group and Nigeria.”
Looking ahead, Samad Rabiu said BUA would continue to expand capacity, invest in advanced technologies, and strengthen its footprint across cement, food, sugar, and infrastructure, adding that the people who built the Group would continue to grow with it.
The BUA Night of Excellence and Long Service Awards, the statement added, is part of BUA Group’s cultural backbone, reflecting an organisation built on shared prosperity, long term thinking, and respect for its people.
