Lafarge Africa Plc, a leading innovative and sustainable building solutions company and manufacturer of premium cement brands, has celebrated its outstanding trade partners at the 2025 Customer & Transporter Awards held on Saturday, February 21, at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The colourful ceremony brought together customers, transporters, and key stakeholders including the Honourable Commissioner for Housing Lagos State, Hon Moruf, Akinderu Fatai, the Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs, Cross Rivers State, members of the Board of Lafarge Africa Plc – Mrs. Adenike Ogunlesi, Mrs. Olusola Oworu and Mrs. Elenda Osima-Dokubo, and management and staff of the company; to honour exceptional performance and reinforce the strong partnerships that continue to drive the company’s growth across Nigeria.

The annual awards ceremony, regarded as the apex of Lafarge Africa’s commercial success, recognizes the invaluable contributions of customers and transporters who ensure the company’s products reach every part of the country. The 2025 edition celebrated partners whose dedication, integrity, and resilience have strengthened the company’s market leadership despite evolving economic realities.

Elder Ubong Bassey Obot of Ubotex Nigeria Limited emerged the National Volume Champion. Igwe Cosmas Ezeumeh Chizoba of C.C. Umeh and Sons Limited and Chief Etim Effiong Okon of Batoframoje Enterprises secured the titles of first and second runners-up, respectively. As the champion, Ubong Obot received a 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser. C.C. Umeh and Sons Limited and Batoframoje Enterprises were awarded a 2026 Toyota Prado and a 2026 Toyota Fortuner, respectively.

Additionally, B.I.G MultiQuest Nigeria Limited was recognized as the National Winner- Best Transporter category and was awarded a 2026 Toyota Hilux.  Two customers who emerged as National Growth Champions received 15KVA Generating Sets, while 4 regional champions were rewarded with a Toyota RAV 4 cars each. Other winners received prizes including a Changan CS55, GAC S3, Hyndai Creta cars, 13KVA solar inverters, 80-inch Hisense TVs, deep freezers among others.

Welcoming guests to the event, the Group Managing Director/CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc, Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, expressed deep appreciation to the partners for their loyalty and commitment to the business.

Alade-Akinyemi noted that Lafarge Africa’s growth story would be incomplete without its partners’ market insights, trust, and consistent support. He emphasized that the company would continue to push boundaries in quality, innovation, and high performance, inspired by the strength of its partnerships.

“We are here to honour partnership. We want to thank our customers for partnering with us in 2025. In 2025, we expanded our retail presence and focused on customer experience. We strengthened our ready-mix business, launched new products including Ecoplanet Elephant and  Ecocrete, our low-carbon cement and concrete solutions, and walked the talk on innovation, using technology as a competitive advantage. We could not have done this without our customers and partners,” he said.

In his remarks, the Commercial Director of Lafarge Africa Plc, Gbenga Onimowo, described customers and transporters as “trade champions” whose excellence and unwavering belief in the company’s products have sustained the company’s strong position in the market.

Onimowo stated that their shared values and commitment to growth have created a mutually beneficial relationship built on trust, loyalty, and integrity.

“You are a vital part of our business, ensuring our products are visible and accessible across the country. Your contribution merits daily appreciation. Tonight’s expression of thanks is special because it gives us the opportunity to celebrate our wins together, in person. While we celebrate tonight’s winners, we acknowledge that every partner here has contributed meaningfully to our success. We believe this recognition will inspire even greater achievements in the year ahead,” he added.

Also speaking, the Logistics Director, Lafarge Africa Plc, Osaze Aghatise, acknowledged the transporters as the critical bridge between the company and its customers, ensuring efficient distribution and nationwide availability of its innovative building solutions. According to him, the awards serve as both recognition and motivation, encouraging partners to continue raising the bar.

The ceremony featured the announcement of various award categories, with top-performing partners receiving special recognition for their outstanding contributions. The evening was marked by celebration, networking with celebrities and notable artists, and camaraderie, reflecting the enduring spirit of collaboration that defines Lafarge Africa’s relationship with its trade partners.