President and Co-CEO, Critical Minerals Financing Corporation (CMFC) Plc, Dr Israel Ovirih, was at the weekend honoured as one of Nigeria’s 25 topmost chief executives, an award that highlighted Dr Israel Ovirih’s transformational leadership and impact in Nigerian economy.
Dr Israel Ovirih was awarded as one of ‘BusinessDay Top 25 CEOs’, in a selection process coordinated by Nigeria’s leading business and economy daily, BusinessDay in collaboration with the Nigerian Exchange (NGX). The data were primarily collated by the NGX based on corporate performances and records of listed companies.
Dr Israel Ovirih, a versatile investment banker and development economist, was honoured for successfully birthing CMFC as Africa’s premier investment bank for minerals and metals, with the award celebrating strategic ambition, institutional transformation and disciplined execution that made the milestone possible.
Dr Israel Ovirih’s Banklink Africa Private Equity had purchased majority equity stake in Deap Capital Management and Trust Plc and rebuilt the company through rigourous process of corporate reassessment, redirection, repositioning, recapitalisation and growth and stability.
The BusinessDay Top 25 CEOs Awards celebrates Nigeria’s most outstanding business leaders and it is widely recognised as one of the country’s most respected platforms for recognising excellence in corporate leadership and performance. The awards honour chief executives whose leadership delivered exceptional shareholders’ value, strengthened institutions, transformed industries and contribute meaningfully to the development of Nigerian economy.
Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange (NGX), Mr. Jude Chiemeka, said Dr Israel Ovirih and others top chief executives were selected based on scientific parameters for measuring corporate governance excellence and performance.
‘Your achievement represents what’s possible when enterprise and leadership come together,’ Chiemeka said.
He pointed out that quoted companies like CMFC contribute more meaningfully to the economy as publicly quoted companies have been found to be more compliant in most key parameters, including tax compliant, governance and disclosures.
He noted the strategic importance of CMFC in helping to opening up the capital market to vast minerals sector of the economy and unlocking much-needed resources for the greater development of the country.
Chief Executive Officer, BusinessDay Media, Mr. Frank Aigbogun said Dr Israel Ovirih was honoured for demonstrating exemplary attributes during a defining period for corporate Nigeria marked by macroeconomic adjustments, a period when success required more than resilience but also strategic agility, disciplined execution, innovation and capability to deliver sustainable value.
‘Your leadership reflects the core attributes celebrated by the Awards: strategic vision, resilience, innovation, disciplined execution, and the ability to build a sustainable institution in a dynamic operating environment,’ Aigbogun said.
He pointed out that the Award was a recognition of both CMFC’s organizational achievement and Dr Israel Ovirih’s leadership excellence, noting that Dr Ovirih set a record with the birth of CMFC as a specialised financing group for a high-growth segment of Africa’s economy.
He explained that the 2026 awards recognised performance during the 2025 financial year, ‘describing the past year as a year of transition for Nigeria’s economy and a period when producing results was difficult.
He said the awardees were selected on the basis of evidential research based on assessable data, pointing out that the selection process was designed to recognise substance over visibility and performance over popularity.
‘We look beyond the personality of the chief executive to the quality of the enterprise the leader is building. The Top 25 CEOs represent established businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and performance,’ Aigbogun said.
He underlined the importance of the leadership factor in corporate growth and general economic development, noting that top decision makers are the engines that drive much-acknowledged private sector’s roles in building productive capacity, shared prosperity and long-term sustainable development.
He said: ‘Our economy is not built only by policy. It is built every day by companies making decisions about capital, people, technology, markets and risks’.
In a brief remarks, Dr Ovirih reassured that CMFC is committed to its vision of providing much-needed structured financing and expertise to unlock values in Nigeria and Africa’s critical minerals and metals.
He dedicated the award to shareholders, directors, staff and all other stakeholders whose efforts have continued to drive CMFC’s success story.
Other awardees included Group Managing Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Adaora Umeoji; Managing Director, Jaiz Bank Plc, Dr Haruna Musa; Group Managing Director, HBM Nigeria Plc, formerly Lafarge Africa, Mr Lolu Alade-Akinyemi; Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mr Chuma Nwokocha; Chief Executive Officer, UPDC Plc, Mr Odunayo Ojo; Group Managing Director, VFD Group Plc, Mr Nonso Okpala; Founder and Group Managing Director, Custodian Investment Plc, Mr Wole Oshin; Managing Director, May and Baker Nigeria Plc, Pharm Patrick Ajah; Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Energy Plc, Engr Effiong Okon; President and Group Chief Executive Officer, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, Mrs Owen Omogiafo and Managing Director, Transcorp Power Plc, Engr Peter Ikenga.