Julius Berger Nigeria Plc has called for investment in youth development to harness their potential and grow the economy.
The company’s Director of Administration, Dr Abdulaziz Kaita, stated this at the Brand Leadership Forum 2025, organisers of the Top 50 Brands Award, held at Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, where Julius Berger emerged winner for the tenth time.
Kaita said: “When you look at the CEOs of companies like Google, Microsoft, and Dell, one thing stands out, they all got to where they are through training. In Nigeria, about 70 per cent of our population is under 30 years of age.”
According to him, that is a huge potential waiting to be harnessed. “If we can tap into the energy, creativity, and talent of young Nigerians and guide them through proper training and structured academies, the results will be transformative. That is why training is essential,” he said.
“We need to invest in our young people, just like we are doing at Julius Berger Academy, where we train young Nigerians to build the future. That is how we unlock the real strength of our nation,” he added.
Receiving the award on the company’s behalf, Kaita appreciated the organisers for the honour and acknowledged the efforts put into arriving at the award decision.
He recalled that the 2025 award marked the tenth time the company had won the prized position, attributing it to Julius Berger’s strong commitment to quality service and excellence in the delivery of its multifaceted products and services.
According to him, consistent awards like this indicate the company’s dedication to customer satisfaction, innovation, and effective brand management.
During a panel discussion themed “From Challenge to Opportunity: Projecting the True Naija Spirit,” which featured robust discussions on how strong corporate brands can shape a positive and believable narrative for Nigeria while advancing national value creation, Kaita highlighted various practical efforts by the company to empower and equip young people across the country for future challenges.
In his goodwill message delivered on behalf of Julius Berger, Kaita reiterated the importance of backward integration for national growth, saying: “At Julius Berger, we have invested in Nigeria. We have a furniture factory in Abuja, AFP, which produces the best luxury furniture in Africa.
“We also have ABUMET, which specialises in aluminium and glass products. So, I think if all of us can invest in the local market, we can help our young people get employed,” he added.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Top 50 Brands Nigeria, Taiwo Oluboyede, noted that with a Brand Strength Management (BSM) index of 55.4, the company led the country’s construction sector for a record tenth consecutive year as the Most Valuable Building and Construction Services Brand.
According to him, Julius Berger’s emergence as the winner in the construction sector category underscores the company’s unrivalled expertise, landmark projects, and commitment to innovation and sustainability, which have made it not just a leading construction company but also a trusted nation-building partner driving Nigeria’s infrastructure transformation.
He added: “Julius Berger has consistently maintained its position as one of the most valuable and trusted engineering and construction brands in the country, a status reaffirmed by its landmark projects, engineering excellence, and contribution to national development.”
Oluboyede further said that it was in recognition of Julius Berger’s consistent excellence and long-standing contribution to nation-building that the organisers included the company’s representative among the panelists at the event.
Other top experts in branding and brand management who attended the event included the CEO of Ladybird Advertising, Mrs Bunmi Oke, and a research advisor to the organisers, Mrs KC Shanmuga Priya, among others.
