The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has raised the bar for corporate excellence, saying business success must increasingly be measured alongside responsible employment, investment in people, workplace welfare, innovation and sound governance.

The position is coming as the employers’ body prepares to honour outstanding organisations at the fifth edition of the NECA Employers’ Excellence Awards, scheduled for November 26, 2026, in Lagos.

The awards, with the theme, ‘Celebrating Excellence in Enterprise, Leadership and Responsible Employment’, will recognise organisations that have demonstrated excellence in enterprise, leadership, employee development, innovation, good governance and responsible employment practices.

Director-General of NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said the awards offer an opportunity to showcase organisations setting high standards in business and employment practices.

According to him, enterprise success can go hand in hand with responsible employment, strong leadership, innovation and investment in people.

He said the awards have evolved into a platform for celebrating organisations that show business performance and responsible leadership can reinforce each other.

The awards are expected to recognise employers across sectors and organisational sizes, with NECA encouraging businesses to use the platform to showcase their achievements and benchmark their workplace practices.

Beyond employee welfare, the categories will also cover diversity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility, innovation and sustainable enterprise development.

The association said participation in the awards is free and open to employers across sectors, irrespective of size or operational context.

The association has consequently invited employers across the country to submit nominations for the various award categories.

The emphasis on responsible employment comes at a time when employers are operating in an increasingly challenging labour environment, marked by changing workplace expectations, technological disruption and growing demand for skills development.

For NECA, excellence extends beyond financial performance to how organisations create sustainable workplaces, develop their workforce and contribute to broader economic development.