The ballroom went dark, a spotlight hit the stage, and when the envelope opened the name that echoed through the room was PAKTIM Metering’s CEO Larry Adesida.
The Chief Executive Officer of PAKTIM Metering Nigeria Limited was named among BusinessDay’s Top 25 CEOs for 2026 on Friday night, joining the country’s most watched corporate leaders for an evening built around one idea: that strong economies are built by strong enterprises, and strong enterprises are built by exceptional leadership.
The BusinessDay Top 25 CEOs & Next Bulls Awards has become the benchmark for recognising chief executives of publicly listed companies whose leadership delivers performance, creates enterprise value, and sets the pace for what comes next in Nigerian business.
A Night To Recognise Enterprise And Leadership
Business leaders, executives, partners and guests filled the hall for an evening themed “Recognising Enterprise. Celebrating Leadership. Identifying What Comes Next.”
The awards honoured CEOs who have shown strategic clarity, financial discipline, operational excellence, innovation, resilience and strong corporate governance over the past year.
The ceremony moved from tributes to performances and then to the main presentations. At 8:10pm, PAKTIM Metering Ltd was called to the stage for Award Presentation 2, drawing one of the loudest rounds of applause of the night.
BusinessDay editors said the Top 25 list is not about popularity. It is about measurable impact, and about the leaders now shaping the next generation of Nigerian enterprise.
The Man Behind PAKTIM’s Metering Push
Larry Adesida has led PAKTIM Metering Nigeria Limited since 2015. Under his watch, the company has positioned itself at the centre of Nigeria’s metering conversation, bringing technology, scale and execution to a sector that touches millions of homes and businesses.
He holds a B.A. (Hons.) in Business Administration and an http://M.Sc. in Information Technology from the University of East London, and an Executive MBA from Henley Business School, UK.
Before returning to Nigeria, Adesida built his career in the UK. He served in senior leadership roles for multinational organisations, most recently as Group Chief Architect. In that role he designed Machine-to-Machine architecture covering IoT and smart metering, shaped technology and service delivery strategy, negotiated major contracts, and led release planning and transition support.
Colleagues describe him as analytical, strategic, and a builder of teams. He is married with three children.
The Class Of 2026 Top 25 CEOs
Adesida was not alone on the honours list. The 2026 cohort cut across banking, energy, manufacturing, real estate and technology, reflecting the breadth of leadership driving Nigeria’s economy.
Other companies recognised include: May & Baker Plc, UPDC Plc, Jaiz Bank Plc, Custodian Investment Plc, Stanbic Holdings Plc, HBM Nigeria Plc, Critical Minerals Financing Corporation Plc (CMFC), Seplat Energy Plc, VFD Group Plc, Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group), Transcorp Power Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Hontar Projects, Prospera Finance Ltd, Fembol Group, Now Travels and Tours Ltd, and ITH Holdings.
With music and award presentations running into the evening, BusinessDay said the goal was simple. Spotlight the executives delivering results today, and flag the enterprises most likely to define tomorrow.
