The 2026 rally on the Nigerian Exchange has been defined not only by sharp price recoveries but also by a cohort of chief executives steering legacy companies through renewed investor attention and re-rating cycles.

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In the industrial and conglomerates space, leadership at SCOA Nigeria Plc has focused on restructuring and strengthening its distribution footprint across heavy equipment and automotive segments, helping the company benefit from renewed demand in infrastructure-linked sectors.

At R.T. Briscoe Plc, long-serving management has leaned on deep institutional experience within the automotive services value chain, guiding the firm through cyclical pressures while positioning it for a broader operational reset that has resonated with investors.

In logistics, Red Star Express Plc’s leadership has continued to push efficiency and scale in courier and freight services, a segment increasingly supported by Nigeria’s growing e-commerce and trade logistics demand.

Within the building materials and coatings space, leadership at Berger Paints Plc and CAP Plc has centered on operational discipline, cost management, and market expansion, aligning with rising construction activity and infrastructure-related demand.

In the consumer-linked industrial segment, Union Dicon Salt Plc has also seen leadership attention shift toward governance tightening and stabilisation efforts following years of market volatility, while Fortis Global Insurance Plc reflects a leadership transition story within Nigeria’s insurance space, as the firm seeks to rebuild confidence post-disruption.

Across these companies, a common thread stands out: experienced executives managing legacy institutions through structural resets, with investor sentiment increasingly rewarding turnaround narratives, balance sheet discipline, and operational visibility.

Anthony Adigwe: MD/CEO Deap Capital Management & Trust  

Anthony “Tony” Adigwe is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of DEAP Capital Management & Trust Plc, a Nigerian investment and trust management firm listed on the Nigerian Exchange. He was appointed to the board as a Director and assumed the role of CEO/Managing Director on May 18, 2023.

  • Adigwe holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Lagos and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Benin. His career spans investment management, logistics, sales and marketing, with more than a decade of experience across multiple sectors.

Before taking the helm at DEAP Capital, Adigwe spent eight years at the company in progressively senior roles.

  • He joined as Branch and Business Development Manager in Port Harcourt, where he spent four years driving client acquisition and business growth. He later moved to the Lagos head office as Head of Business Development, overseeing the development and execution of the company’s marketing and expansion strategy for another four years.

Prior to joining DEAP Capital, he worked in sales and marketing roles at Ibeto Cement Industries Limited and Bonny Allied Industries Limited. He also completed his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme at Glaxo Nigeria Plc, where he gained experience in procurement and contract administration.

Under his leadership, DEAP Capital has emerged as one of the Nigerian Exchange’s standout performers in 2026.

As of May 26, 2026, the company ranked among the NGX’s top-performing stocks, delivering a year-to-date return of 187%. The stock opened the year at N1.90 per share and climbed to N5.45, while trading volumes exceeded 908 million shares.

The company has also attracted interest from high-net-worth investors across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Europe, as it continues to explore additional investment commitments. It currently holds a market capitalization of approximately N8.5 billion.

Mrs. Bolarin Okunowo-Managing Director Chemical & Allied Products  

Bolarin Okunowo is a Nigerian finance executive who has led the transformation of Chemical and Allied Products Plc (CAP), one of Nigeria’s leading paint and coatings manufacturers, since assuming the role of Managing Director in 2019.

  • After nearly seven years at the helm, she is set to transition to a new executive position within the UAC Group, CAP’s parent company, effective June 25, 2026, with Mr. Olalekan Aluko succeeding her as Managing Director.
  • A qualified Chartered Accountant, Okunowo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom and a Master’s degree in Information Systems from the London School of Economics
  • Before joining UAC of Nigeria Plc in 2018 as Head of Corporate Finance, she served as Head of Energy and Infrastructure Finance at Stanbic IBTC Capital, where she led debt advisory and financing mandates across the oil and gas, power and infrastructure sectors.

Earlier in her career, she worked in the investment banking division of Asset & Resource Management (ARM), contributing to the development of the firm’s Hospitality & Retail Fund. She also began her professional journey at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), providing audit services to financial-sector clients.

At UAC, Okunowo was initially tasked with overseeing the recapitalisation of UACN Property Development Company Plc before being appointed to lead CAP.

As of May 2026, the company ranks among the Nigerian Exchange’s best-performing stocks, delivering a year-to-date return of approximately 188%. CAP’s share price rose from N69.00 at the start of the year to N199.00, lifting its market capitalisation to roughly N145.9 billion.

Alaba Fagun-Group MD Berger Paints  

Alaba Fagun is the Group Managing Director of Berger Paints Nigeria Plc, one of Nigeria’s oldest and most recognized paint manufacturers. She was initially appointed Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer effective October 4, 2022, bringing decades of experience in architecture and corporate leadership to the company.

  • Fagun graduated with distinction from the University of Lagos, earning both Bachelor of Environmental Science and Bachelor of Architecture degrees. She began her career at Siji Dosekun Partnership in Lagos before expanding her professional experience internationally at Architects Co-Partnership in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.
  • Her career includes serving as the founding Managing Director of UPDC Facility Management Limited (UPDCFM), Head of Facilities Management and Head of Major Projects at Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, and Senior Manager, Properties at Broll Property Services Limited. She is also a member of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) and the Institute of Directors (IoD).

As of May 2026, Berger Paints Nigeria Plc ranks as the eighth-best-performing stock on the Nigerian Exchange, delivering a year-to-date return of 208%. The stock rose from N48.00 at the start of the year to N147.60, making it one of the strongest-performing equities on the market. Berger Paints currently commands a market capitalization of approximately N42.78 billion.

Florence S. Iroye – Ag Managing Director Union Dicon Salt 

Florence Iroye is the Managing Director of Union Dicon Salt Plc, one of Nigeria’s leading salt processing and distribution companies. A legal and corporate governance professional, she has spent nearly two decades within the organization, steadily rising through the ranks to lead the company.

She was appointed Acting Managing Director on March 1, 2022, and was subsequently confirmed as the substantive Managing Director on December 4, 2022.

Iroye joined Union Dicon Salt Plc in 2008 as Legal, Documentation and Compliance Officer, where she was responsible for ensuring adherence to statutory and regulatory requirements.

A member of the Nigerian Bar Association and a registered practitioner with the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Iroye built her career around legal advisory, compliance oversight and corporate administration.

As of May 26, 2026, the company ranks as the seventh-best-performing stock on the Nigerian Exchange, delivering a year-to-date return of 244%. The stock rose from N6.90 at the beginning of the year to N23.75.

The rally has lifted Union Dicon Salt’s market capitalization to approximately N6.49 billion.

Adedoyin Adeyinka: Chairman of Premier Paints 

Premier Paints Plc Chairman Adedoyin Adeyinka has emerged as a key figure behind the recent resurgence of the company’s stock on the Nigerian Exchange. He was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors on June 5, 2025, after serving as a Non-Executive Director since March 2011, giving him more than a decade of board-level experience within the company.

Adeyinka previously served as a Non-Executive Director at Premier Paints and brings a strong business and corporate governance background to the role. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Lagos Business School and earned his undergraduate degree from Federal University of Technology Akure.

Since his elevation to chairman, Premier Paints has attracted significant investor attention. The stock opened 2026 at N10.00 per share and climbed to N37.50 by May 26, 2026, delivering a year-to-date return of approximately 275%. Trading activity has also strengthened, with more than 18 million shares exchanged during the period. The stock’s most dramatic rally occurred in March, when it recorded a month-to-date gain of about 240.91%.

Premier Paints operates within Nigeria’s Industrial Goods sector under the Building Materials sub-sector. At a share price of N37.50, the company commanded a market capitalization of roughly N4.6 billion as of late May 2026.

Dr. Christopher Ezeh – Managing Director John Holt 

Dr. Chris Ezeh is the Group Managing Director of John Holt Plc, the diversified conglomerate with interests spanning industrial products, engineering, leasing, energy and infrastructure services.

  • He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) before proceeding to the United Kingdom, where he obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Science Research Methods, and a Ph.D. in Marketing and Strategy from Cardiff Business School.
  • While in the UK, Ezeh lectured MBA students on Advanced Marketing principles and undertook consultancy assignments across Europe and Africa. His professional career includes roles at British Gas, Conduit Group UK, John Holt & Company (Liverpool) Limited, Beaufort Research UK, The Gilead Consortium, Minaj Group and Nigerian Breweries Plc.

A member of several professional bodies, Ezeh is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK), a Member of the Nigerian Economic Society, a Member of the Institute of Directors, and a Fellow of the Institute of Direct Marketing of Nigeria.

Under his leadership, John Holt Plc ranks fifth among NGX top-performing stocks in 2026, delivering a year-to-date return of 284%, with its share price rising from N4.90 to N18.80, with a market capitalization of about N6.6 billion.

Oluseyi Onajide – Managing DirectorR T Briscoe 

Oluseyi Onajide is the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of R.T. Briscoe Plc, a Nigerian automobile and industrial services company listed on the Nigerian Exchange under the ticker RTBRISCOE, operating in the Services sector with a market capitalization of approximately N16.06 billion.

  • A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Onajide qualified as a chartered accountant in 1989 and began his career with Deloitte Haskins & Sells. He later earned an MBA from the University of Lagos in 1998 and has attended executive programmes at leading institutions including Lagos Business School and INSEAD, France.
  • Before joining R.T. Briscoe in 1998, he worked at SCOA Nigeria Plc, rising to Assistant General Manager, Finance, and later served as a management consultant across multiple firms.
  • Within Briscoe, he progressed through senior leadership roles including Finance Director, Executive Director overseeing the motor business, Deputy Managing Director, and Managing Director-designate before becoming CEO in January 2010.

Under his leadership, R.T. Briscoe Plc ranks among the Nigerian Exchange’s top-performing stocks in 2026, delivering a year-to-date return of 289%, with shares rising from N3.50 to N13.60.

Babura Auwalu Badamasi – Group MD Red Star Express 

Badamasi Auwalu Babura is the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Red Star Express Plc, a Nigerian logistics and courier company operating in the Services sector with a market capitalization of approximately N32.45 billion.

  • Babura is a finance and operations executive with over three decades of experience in logistics, financial management, credit administration and corporate governance.
  • He joined Red Star Express in 1994 and has served in multiple leadership roles across finance, internal control, credit management, process optimisation and administration before rising to the top executive position in March 2022.
  • He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Bayero University Kano, an MBA from Lagos State University, and a Mini MBA from the London School of Business and Finance. He has also completed several executive leadership and management programmes locally and internationally, including at Lagos Business School and the London School of Economics.

A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD), Babura is widely regarded as a seasoned financial and operational strategist with strong expertise in resource management and organisational efficiency.

Red Star Express Plc recorded a year-to-date return of 291%, with its share price rising from N8.70 to N34.00.

Massad Fares Boulos – Managing Director SCOA NigeriaPlc  

Massad Fares Boulos has built much of his business career in Nigeria, where he serves as Chief Executive Officer of SCOA Nigeria PLC. A graduate of the University of Houston–Downtown with a degree in Business Administration and holder of a Juris Doctor from Texas Southern University, Boulos later emerged on the international political stage through his family ties to Donald Trump and his role in Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign outreach to Arab-American communities. He currently serves as Senior Advisor to the U.S. President on Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs and Senior Advisor for Africa at the U.S. Department of State.

In Nigeria, Boulos has been closely associated with the transformation of SCOA Nigeria Plc, a company involved in heavy-duty trucks, machinery, and industrial equipment. Under his leadership, the company has become one of the standout performers on the Nigerian Exchange, with its shares recording a year-to-date return of approximately 365% and trading at N33.05 per share. The strong rally has drawn renewed investor attention to the company and underscored its resurgence in Nigeria’s industrial sector.

Mrs. Nomwen Emeghalu – Managing Director Fortis Global Insurance  

Nomwen Imariagbotua Emeghalu is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fortis Global Insurance Plc, a Nigerian insurance underwriting and brokerage firm listed on the Nigerian Exchange. The company operates within the Financial Services sector, Insurance sub-sector, with a market capitalization of approximately N12.91 billion.

Emeghalu was appointed Managing Director/CEO effective August 27, 2025, following board approval in June 2025 and subsequent regulatory disclosure on the Nigerian Exchange. Her appointment came after the resignation of the former chief executive, marking a leadership transition aimed at strengthening the company’s governance and market position.

She has over three decades of experience in Nigeria’s insurance industry, having begun her career in 1994. She holds a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), an MBA, and completed the Advanced Management Programme (AMP 25) at the Lagos Business School. She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria and the Risk Managers Society of Nigeria.

Prior to her current role, she served as Deputy General Manager, Corporate Marketing at Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc and later as Managing Director of UTIB Insurance Brokers, where she led corporate client acquisition and risk advisory operations.

The company ranks among the market’s top-performing stocks in 2026, delivering a year-to-date gain of 400% as of May 26, with its share price rising from N0.20 to N1.00.

Trading activity has also surged significantly, with over 1.8 billion shares exchanged during the period. February accounted for the bulk of the rally, as the stock surged 370%.