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By Zika Bobby
Organisers of the Nigerian Marketing Awards (NMA) have opened public voting for the 2026 Brand of the Year award, with Heineken, Malta Guinness and MILO emerging as the three finalists for the coveted title.
The three brands were shortlisted following a rigorous evaluation by the Awards Decision Council (ADC), a panel of marketing and communications professionals, with the eventual winner to be determined through a combination of expert assessment and public voting.
Founder and Convener of the NMA, Prince Tony Agenmonmen, who announced the shortlist in a statement, said the judges’ scores would account for 50 per cent of the final result, while votes cast by members of the public would determine the remaining 50 per cent.
Agenmonmen, a former President of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), explained that the arrangement was designed to give consumers a voice in recognising marketing excellence while ensuring that professional assessment remained central to the selection process.
“Three outstanding brands. One coveted title. Our judges have made their assessment, and now the public has a say,” he said.
“By giving equal weight to expert judgement and public votes, we recognise both marketing excellence and the connection brands build with consumers. We encourage everyone to review the campaigns and cast their vote.”
According to the organisers, public voting commenced on Sunday, November 1, and will close on Monday, November 9, while the winner will be unveiled at the fifth edition of the Nigerian Marketing Awards gala, scheduled for Saturday, November 21, in Lagos.
The event, themed “Reimagine Marketing,” will bring together stakeholders in the marketing and communications industry to recognise outstanding achievements in marketing, advertising and brand development.
Established in 2022 to celebrate excellence in marketing and brand-building, the Nigerian Marketing Awards holds the International Awards Trust Mark and is endorsed by leading professional and regulatory bodies in the industry.
They include the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN), Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and Out-of-Home Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN).
