Business Ventures Africa’s Top 13 Nigerian CEOs - Why?

Vunderkind

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On Boxing Day, Ventures Africa released its list of top 13 Nigerian CEOs. Sure, we know a lot has happened this year as regards the Nigerian enterprise, and we have seen impressive displays of business acumen and profit generation. There is no doubt at all that the year 2013 has witnessed some interesting business successes and failures, marginal growth and even mergers that saw interesting results documented by business websites and magazines across Africa.

It is probably with this insight that Ventures Africa took the initiative to compile its list of top CEOs in Nigeria. Some of the CEOs who made the list included GlaxoSmithKline’s Chidi Okoro, MTN Nigeria’s Michael Ikpoki, Arik Air’s Michael Arumemi-Ikhide and Leo-Stan Ekeh of Zinox Group.

Good list – but may it have been better?

Ventures Africa’s list was commendably put together – we daresay – but could it have been better? For example – we have Mrs. Florence Seriki, CEO of Omatek Ventures Plc and the CEO of Zinox group, but on what basis was the CEO of Computer Warehouse group excluded from the list?

Read Venture Africa’s List here

One may be inclined to ask why neither the CEO of Multichoice nor the CEO of Stanbic IBTC was included in the list. Yea, the question we would ask would be: on what basis were the top CEOs selected, and on what basis were the others excluded?

It is logical to reply that question with this: surely, Ventures Africa would have clearly stated the criteria upon which it handpicked its top CEOs in Nigeria for 2013? Unfortunately, Ventures Africa didn’t.

Ventures Africa, in an obvious bid to defend its choice, gives this (to put it fairly) vague explanation: “The CEOs have been credited not because they sit on the chair of company with “high-sounding” names but because they have been able to make a difference in highly competitive markets. They have demonstrated effective management capabilities through hard work, resilience, research, an understanding of the Nigeria business climate as they moved their companies forward.”

Bottom-line

The list had its merits, and the bio given underneath each CEO’s name was remarkable indeed – no arguments there, but we believe that if a list such as this one is to be compiled, it should be exhaustive. The litmus test used in categorizing ‘top’ persons should be explicitly tested, so that the public can easily see why one man fits the cut and another falls short.
 
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