BB Buzz Top 10 CMO’s/Commercial Leaders to Watch in 2025
When brands succeed in the marketplace, shareholders reward the CEO, when the CMO or commercial leader takes the flak. This is the natural quagmire of Chief Marketing Officers and commercial leaders globally.
Marketing organizations within firms can be large, they can also be small, but their goals remain the same- to bring in the bacon; that is, to generate revenues for their companies. However, how brands and their marketing organizations perform is dependent on various factors; largely, macroeconomic and microeconomic. In Nigeria for instance; spiraling inflation, interest rate bumps, unemployment, increased energy costs etc , have led to business restructuring, divestments and transnational corporate rationalization of foreign direct investment.
The challenges of operating in the Nigeria business environment presents both caution and opportunities for innovation across supply chains, financial processes, and marketing strategy. Analysts have held that the business environment will experience a tight but stable inflation and 
foreign exchange environment.
Despite the legitimacy of the cynicism that surrounds the general conduct of business in Nigeria, certain businesses posted positive results, while others showed promising growth.
In another vein, Nigeria’s stock market has witnessed the presence of the bulls and rising optimism, with the performance of the All Shares Index for 2024 posted an annual growth of +37%; which has been dubbed as impressive by investment professionals. While the local bourse and capital markets have witnessed positive growth since 2023, companies keep leaving Nigeria. Notably companies like Procter & Gamble Nigeria, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Ltd, ShopRite Nigeria, Deli Foods Nigeria Ltd and Tower Aluminium Nigeria PLC. However, 2024 proved to be reference year in such departures with the exit of Microsoft Nigeria, Total Energies Nigeria (impacted by divestment strategies), Kimberly-Clark Nigeria and Diageo PLC.
While hope in the Nigeria business climate is discussed as a scarce commodity, many companies are still operating in Nigeria, recording revenue growth and shareholder confidence. These are probably the heroes of business enterprise in Nigeria. BB Buzz believes the Chief Marketing Officers (CMO’s)/Commercial Leaders of businesses across Nigeria have a great challenge before them. We have profiled some of the CMO’s/Commercial leaders , based on a selection process that appreciates some established players and others that are showing promise, based on their 2024 performance in terms of sales and marketing campaigns. The brands and their CMO’s/Commercial Leaders are highlighted and discussed below.
Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka – MTN Nigeria
Onyinye was appointed as CMO of MTN Nigeria, effective October 14th, 2024. She has managed the MTN Enterprise Business and was the Chief Broadband Officer (CBBO) of the business this appointment.
She is being profiled because she leads the business of MTN in Nigeria. The CMO of MTN Nigeria is largely the heart of the business, being responsible for the many marketing innovation and campaign initatives.
Though MTN recorded a loss of 514 billion Naira in Q3 of 2024, it has received a new lease of strategic leeway with the recent approval of its tariff increase proposals. The current and approved tariff will allow MTN and other operators double tariffs.
The increased adoption of digital products, increase in number of tech professionals and continued rise of startups and other enterprise businesses provides more justification for MTN to keep investing in Nigeria despite perennial challenges. MTN also enjoys an inordinate brand equity and geographical reach which puts its exit further down the road in Nigeria. Hence, investors and marketing watchers will be keen on how Onyinye will navigate 2025, even as more young Nigerians are creating content at an ever-increasing pace, with the objective of making a living off the digital economy. This scenario also applies for traditional SME’s and corporates.
MTN was selected because of its long-standing play in the telecoms market in Nigeria and how much it has contributed to the marketing and advertising industry in Nigeria.
Donald Oghuma- MRS
Donald Oghuma is charge of Sales and Marketing at MRS, and has worked for 6 years at MRS. He has 13 years’ experience in retail expansion in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry. He also has an MBA from Leicester University.
We selected MRS because of its Q3 2024 performance, as well as its re cent partnership with Dangote refinery to offtake its products for downstream distribution. This will significantly fuel the expansion of its retail infrastructure, thereby increasing profitability.
MRS and its established brand name and leverage with Dangote refinery surely makes it a “must watch” for us at BB Buzz.
Liman Alim- BUA Foods
In Q1 2024, BUA Foods posted a +96.43% YtD, representing the highest and best of such performance amongst companies in the same category. Its share price is also the highest amongst competitors like Honeywell, Dangote Flour and Flour Mills of Nigeria. This is why BUA FOODS was selected.
The man leading the marketing effort at BUA FOOD
S is Liman Alim, GM, Sales and Distribution. Liman joined BUA as a management trainee in 2008 and has developed considerable experience in the FCMG industry as a result.
BB Buzz hopes Liman Alim can keep the performance at BUA foods up.
Aliko Dangote- Dangote Refinery
On the outskirts of Lagos State lies the latest wonder of Nigeria. Dangote Refinery is a wonder of Nigeria because it lends itself to the paradox that an infrastructure of its scale is just impossible in Nigeria. After several postponements, this megaproject was officially launched on 22nd of May, 2023. Despite its obvious impact and pride to Nigeria, sales of its product have proven difficult, but the tide anti-launch has ebbed and Dangote Refinery has not only relaxed terms to enable downstream off takers load its product. It has also entered partnerships with the likes of Heyden and MRS.
Marketing for the 650,000 single-train refinery will be led by Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr Edwin Devakumar- Vice President of Dangote Industries.
This sounds like a misnomer naturally, but it is the situation with Dangote Refinery. The President of the group and Dangote Industries Limited- Alhaji Dangote, has been the most vocal promoter of the refinery. Yet, there is no formal indication on Dangote Industries/Group’s website about who will lead marketing and sales. There is no better person to push sales and marketing for this “baby”. It is such an important business for national and continental development.
Robert Ewuzie- Sunu Assurances
Tagged as the standout performer of 2024 of the equities market in 2024, Sunu Assurance deserves all the accolades. Boasting of 577% growth and 877% growth in Q3 of 2023 and 2024 respectively, Sunu Assurances surely deserves the recognition.
We have selected Sunu Assurances because of its strategic importance and the strategic importance of the insurance sector in Nigeria. Based on 2019 figures, Insurance sector accounted for just 1 percent of national GDP, where the insurance sector of G7 countries averages 10 percent.
Robert Ewuzie, head of business development at Sunu Assurances and it expected to continue this growth streak, particularly, we at BB Buzz expect that he will work to attract more millennials and Gen-Z cohort with innovative products, delivered digitally.
Robert Speijer- Tantalizers
In May 2024, Tantalizers raised 1 billion Naira through private placement, hence the duo of Abosede Ayeni and Mofoluso Ayeni have taken a break from the management of the company. In their place, Robert Speijer and Charles Olayemi Ifidon have been appointed as Group Managing Director and Group Deputy Managing Director, respectively.
Tantalizers was selected by the BB Buzz team because it ranked 5th in terms of year-to-date performance on the stock exchange, posting a resounding performance of 336.17%. Opening at N0.47 Naira, it closed at N2.05 by year end.
While there is no official CMO, we surmise that the newly appointed Dutch CEO, Robert Speijer will be leading this charge.
Tantalizers holds nostalgic value for many Gen-X and Millennial’s, seeing them perform operational excellence will give investors hope that businesses in Nigeria can attain unprecedented turnaround.
Wale Tinubu- Oando
Oando struggled in the recent past with its financial results and regulatory issues that arose because of same, but this all changed with its upstream play, where it acquired the Nigeria AG
IP Oil Company (NAOC) for $783 million. This singular act has seen its performance yield a 528.57% YTD. It opened at N10.50 and closed at N66.00.
Oando’s upstream play and recent foray into electric cars form the basis of our selection. But just like Dangote Industries and Refinery, Oando’s commercial campaign for 2025 will be led by its CEO- Mr Wale Tinubu.
We at BB Buzz are anticipating Oando’s rebranding and marketing campaign down the line in 2025.
Camelia Ganga- Moniepoint
Camelia Ganga will be leading the marketing at Moniepoint in 2025. The former Alumnus of Glovo and Ikea has over 18 years’ experience in marketing communications and growth marketing.
The BB Buzz team selected Moniepoint because the spread of their POS business, as 
well as their raise of $110 million in Series C funding which brought their valuation to $1 billion.
The BB Buzz team anticipates more product innovation and deepening of relationships with direct consumers through brand equity and performance campaigns in 2025.
Oladimeji Timothy- inDrive
We selected inDrive based on feedback from marketing executives about the success of its marketing campaign in 2024.
The campaign infused influencer marketing, cultural relevance and linked the buzz on social media to traditional media like television and radio. It is easily one of the best digital first campaigns in Nigeria, using unconventional marketing tactics such as, allowing customers book a Rolls Royce for their trips. This is no doubt the reason why many marketing and brand leaders have adjudged it to be a brand to look out for.
However, inDrive appears not to have a typical marketing team, and hence does now have a visible CMO. Hence, the BB Buzz team has identified its country manager- Oladimeji Timothy as the person to lead the marketing campaigns and commercial activities in 2025.
The team at BB Buzz is looking out to see how inDrive creates better standards and improves perception and ultimately steal significant market share from Uber and Bolt.
Femi Otedola -First Bank Nigeria
The latest development with the “Elephant” is the activism of its largest shareholder- Femi Otedola. On the 20th of June, 2024, the energy billionaire was finally adjudged to be the la
rgest shareholder of the bank. His success, failures and comeback in the energy industry is well noted.
Mr Otedola has recently been on a wave to reposition the bank for more liquidity and sustainability. This has led to restructuring where over 100 senior staff were sacked in December 2024. The easing out of long time marketing leader- Folake Ani-Mumuney led to a raise of many eye brows, depicting the seriousness of Mr Otedola to ensure the bank is on strong footing.
While other banks have shown positive results, none of them have been engaged in recent restructuring activity that signals future superior results. The BB Buzz team selected First Bank because of the activities of Mr Otedola, bearing in mind that he can make the bank more profitable, as well as more integral to providing liquidity for megaprojects in Nigeria.
We at BB Buzz look forward to the stellar performances of these brands and we will be tracking them. However, we believe there will be break out marketing successes, as well as marketing surprises in 2025.
