It was a night of excitement at this year’s Nigerian Marketing Awards (NMA), which delivered an evening filled with inspiration, industry excellence and a renewed commitment to integrity.
Held under the themed “Driving Impact, Inspiring Change,” took place at The Jewel Aedia, Lekki, on Saturday, November 15, 2025, brought together notable marketing leaders, creative agencies and corporate brands in the country.
The highlight of the event was a profound keynote address delivered by Steve Babaeko, Group CEO/Chief Creative Officer of X3M Ideas and recently appointed Vice President and Area Director for Africa on the global board of the International Advertising Association. His keynote, titled “The Quiet Power of Purpose and Aṣẹ,” captivated the audience and set a reflective tone for the night.
Babaeko opened with a call for professionals to embrace purpose over noise, stressing that the world often misinterprets loudness as value. “Sometimes, the most powerful forces in life are not loud. They appear softly like a breath, like a thought, like a whisper,” he said.
In a deeply personal recount, he spoke about his early life in Kaduna, where his mother guided him and his siblings with quiet strength after the death of his father.
He noted that these silent lessons instilled in him the values of discipline, resilience and direction.
He shared how such internal conviction led him to leave Kaduna for Lagos more than three decades ago with no guarantees of success. He described this move as an act of faith inspired by what he called a “whisper of purpose.”
Reflecting on the early days of X3M Ideas, Babaeko recalled founding the agency thirteen years ago with limited resources.
“When I founded X3M Ideas, the resources were scarce and the risks were obvious. Yet the whisper said: Build. Trust. Create. The world will catch up, today, the agency boasts a presence in about nine countries and continues to expand,” he stated.
Babaeko also challenged Nigeria and Africa to reclaim their global narrative. He emphasized that the continent is rich in talent and creativity, calling on professionals to embrace and project their identity with confidence. “Nigeria is not short of talent. Africa is not short of brilliance. What we need is renewed confidence in our own narrative,” he said.
Beyond the keynote, the night celebrated outstanding achievements across multiple categories. Nigerian Breweries Plc emerged as Marketing Company of the Year 2025, recognising its market leadership and innovative consumer engagement strategies.
Insight Publicis was named Advertising Agency of the Year 2025, while also winning Best Alcoholic Brand of the Year 2025 for its creative work with Heineken. Carex (PZ Cussons) earned double honours as Brand of the Year 2025 and Best Rebrand of the Year 2025, underscoring its growing relevance in the hygiene and personal care market.
Founder of the Nigerian Marketing Awards®, Mr. Tony Agenmonmen, reiterated the award platform’s unwavering commitment to integrity. He stressed that the awards remain independent and not influenced by external pressures. “At the Nigerian Marketing Awards®, awards are not for sale, not for purchase, not for influence,” he affirmed.
Chairperson of the Award Decision Council, Mrs. Iquo Ukoh, provided insight into the robust and ethical judging process. She explained that the 11-member jury evaluated entries with professionalism, recusing themselves where conflicts of interest existed.
Ukoh noted that a major trend in this year’s submissions was the challenge posed by declining consumer demand. Despite this, she praised brands for adopting innovative strategies to maintain market relevance and sustain consumer attention.
She also expressed optimism about the future of marketing in Nigeria, emphasizing the role of technology, AI, and creativity in shaping the next phase of industry growth.
As the ceremony concluded, the 2025 Nigerian Marketing Awards reaffirmed its position as a credible platform celebrating excellence and inspiring the next generation of marketing leaders. Babaeko’s resonant message on purpose left attendees with renewed conviction, highlighting that meaningful impact begins not with noise but with clarity and intent.
