KEY POINTS

• BUA long service awards distributed N30 billion to 1,706 employees.
• Cash rewards covered all levels, from factory staff to senior roles.
• BUA long service awards reinforce Rabiu’s people-first strategy.

BUA Group handed out a combined N30 billion ($20.7 million) in cash awards to 1,706 long-serving employees, an unusually large gesture that has drawn attention across Nigeria’s corporate and philanthropic circles.

BUA announced the payouts at the Night of Excellence Long Service Awards at Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos, where the company recognised workers with between five and more than 30 years of service. In a business environment where companies often reward loyalty modestly, the scale and structure of the awards stood out for their tangible impact.

Founder and executive chairman Abdul Samad Rabiu spoke to staff and said that the occasion was very personal for him. He said the company owes its growth to the people who sustained it through years of expansion, instability and change.

BUA long service awards spotlight loyalty

According to Billionaires Africa, the BUA long service awards were set up to honor contributions from all levels of the organization, not just those at the top. Five workers got N1 billion ($691,000) each, and five others got N500 million ($345,000). A few others got N100 million ($69,000), and the rest got between N5 million ($3,450) and N20 million ($13,810).

By giving out awards at different levels, BUA showed that it values institutional memory and daily dedication as much as executive decision-making. Rabiu told employees that loyalty “money cannot buy” had helped turn BUA into one of Africa’s largest industrial groups, spanning cement, sugar, flour and infrastructure.

For long-serving staff, the awards translated into immediate financial security at a time when inflation and currency pressures continue to strain household budgets across Nigeria.

BUA long service awards build on past raises

The ceremony reinforced a broader pattern under Rabiu’s leadership. After the naira lost a lot of value, BUA agreed to give all employees, even contract workers, a 50 percent raise in early 2024. During the pandemic, Rabiu also transferred N2 billion worth of personal shares to BUA Cement employees after the company remained profitable despite disruptions.

The latest BUA long service awards extend that philosophy, turning recognition into direct economic benefit rather than abstract praise. Employees interviewed at the event said the company’s approach has consistently translated loyalty into tangible improvements in their lives.

As Nigerian companies navigate higher costs and tighter margins, the awards highlight a contrasting model of corporate leadership, one that places workers at the center of long-term industrial success rather than treating them as a cost to be managed.