Billionaire businessman Femi Otedola has been declared the Activist Investor and Market Maker of the Year at the Nairametrics Capital Market Choice Awards.
The ceremony took place on May 23, 2025, at the Civic Centre in Lagos. Otedola’s award recognizes his transformative role in shaping investor confidence, promoting shareholder rights, and catalyzing value creation in Nigeria’s capital market.
The First HoldCo Group had a stellar outing at the awards, with its subsidiaries, FirstBank and First Asset Management, also taking home top prizes.
The group won the Tier-One Bank of the Year (FUGAZ Bank of the Year) award, while FirstBank won the Agency Bank of the Year award, and First Asset Management won the Fund Manager of the Year award.
These awards underscore the group’s growing status as a major economic driver in Nigeria’s financial landscape.
According to Otedola, the recognition highlights the group’s collective focus on shaping the future of the Nigerian capital market and executing effective goals across various locations.
Otedola’s influence on the capital market has been significant, particularly following his strategic acquisition of a major stake in FBN Holdings Plc, now renamed First Holdings Plc.
Reacting to the awards, Otedola expressed delight at the recognition, stating that it attests to the group’s collective focus on shaping the Nigerian capital market’s future.
Group Managing Director Wale Oyedeji noted that the awards showcase the group’s laudable progression towards delivering excellent service across the board, adding that this momentum will continue unabated.
Ugo Obi-Chukwu, Founder/CEO of Nairametrics, emphasized that the Capital Market Choice Awards aim to reinforce the values driving a robust capital ecosystem, including trust, performance, and progress. He announced that the awards will now become an annual tradition.
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