Algorithm Media has marked a decade of sustained excellence in Nigeria’s marketing communications landscape, weathering two economic recessions and a global pandemic while rising to become one of the country’s top three media agencies.

Seni Adetu, Group CEO First Primus West Africa, Ogilvy Nigeria, told journalists at a media parley today at the company’s Victoria Island office that the milestone celebration represents more than just time but a commitment to excellence that has defined the agency’s journey since 2015.

“The fact that we are even standing 10 years later is a thing of joy and celebration. Since the time we started Algorithm Media, there have been two economic recessions in Nigeria in 2016 and 2020, there was COVID in Nigeria, and yet we are standing 10 years later. I’m talking about a business that’s still thriving.”

The anniversary, themed “Beyond the Rise,” reflects Algorithm Media’s transition from establishment and recognition into what Adetu described as a phase of deeper purpose, industry influence and legacy building. The theme speaks to looking beyond success metrics toward meaningful impact and sustained excellence.

Adetu emphasised that the celebration centres not on merely marking time but on the excellence the agency has maintained throughout its existence. “If we’re standing as a run-of-the-mill agency, standing just because we are marking time, I’m telling you, by my leadership, I will not be the one to say we want to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We’re not standing for the sake of standing. We’ve been standing for excellence at Algorithm Media.”

He noted that the agency now ranks comfortably in the top three of media agencies in Nigeria. “I say top three because it is difficult to know whether we are number one or number two. But what we do know is that comfortably we are going with the top three,” Adetu said, adding that when it comes to multinational client portfolios, Algorithm Media is likely number one in Nigeria.

The agency’s success, according to Adetu, rests on three fundamental pillars: people, customer delight and governance. On people, he revealed that in 10 years of operation, including through COVID and economic recessions, the agency has never missed a salary payment or delayed payment by even a day.

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“There was not a single month in those 10 years that we couldn’t pay salaries, not a single month. In fact, there was never a time we said we are shifting it from the day we normally pay to another day. Everybody in the organisation knows when they expect their salaries.”

He described the agency’s approach to client relationships as going beyond customer service or satisfaction to customer delight. “When you take your clients to the position where they almost think that without you, their professional life is incomplete, that’s when you know you are really delighting your client,” he explained.

Adetu highlighted the agency’s hands-on leadership approach as a competitive advantage. “I think that we make decisions very quickly. We don’t need to wait for anybody to make decisions. This team makes decisions. And I think that helps to really be in the face of our clients on a positive note, because then they can call us and we can say yes or no to whatever it is.”

On governance, Adetu drew on his 30 years of corporate experience at John Holt and Coca-Cola to build robust systems and processes. “I was always saying to people that if you are even a slow learner, in three years you should learn something. In 30 years, if you don’t learn, you need to drop a hammer on your head,” he said.

The agency invites clients to audit its processes and books with the shortest notice, a practice Adetu said reflects the high compliance standards required by multinational companies. “For a multinational company to sign you up, the level of due diligence they do on you is incredible. And then to keep you for five, six, seven, sometimes eight years and so on, must mean you are doing something well in the area of governance.”

Looking ahead, Adetu acknowledged that what brought Algorithm Media to its current position may not be sufficient for the next decade. “It’s so much easier to get to the top than to stay there. Ten years of growth, the steps we took, need to be redefined and re-energised for us to have the next 10 years.”

He revealed that the agency is focusing on innovation, technology and creating new solutions beyond traditional media buying. An event scheduled for January 30 will unveil these new initiatives, with a focus on leading industry conversations around scale and joining hands with industry leaders to shape the sector’s future.

In closing his remarks, Adetu said his greatest pride lies not just in what the agency has built but in the people who built it alongside the team. “I’m more proud of who we built this with. Like our staff, our clients, like our media partners, the regulator. I’m most proud of the people that have come together with us to build it this way.”

He emphasised that these stakeholders are crucial to guaranteeing the future that Algorithm Media envisions. “Without the clients, without the employees, without the regulator saying that we are compliant, without the media not having any problem with us, we can’t be here today. That’s why they are the same people who can guarantee the future that we’re looking for.”