John Olajide, Finance Business Partner with Unilever Nigeria Plc, has been named winner of the fiercely contested Supply Chain & Business category at the 2022 City People Outstanding Talents Awards. The recognition celebrates individuals who demonstrate measurable innovation, operational excellence, and leadership in logistics, supply chain management, and corporate business practice. This year’s award drew more than 100,000 nominations from professionals and researchers across the globe, making it the most competitive edition in the history of the program. Our judges described John’s selection as “unanimous, emphatic, and inevitable,” reflecting both his measurable results and his ability to elevate standards across the field.
We created the Outstanding Talents Awards to celebrate professionals shaping industries through real solutions, not theory. Our process is rigorous. We assess originality, leadership, and tangible results that solve systemic problems. John stood out across every metric. He has made supply chain finance more transparent, factories more efficient, and decision-making more data-driven — achievements that match the purpose of this award.
Speaking to us after receiving the honour, John shared his reflections on what the award means to him. “This is more than a trophy. It is a signal that the work we do in finance and operations matters for the health of businesses and the prosperity of our country. This award isn’t just for me. It’s for every young Nigerian who believes that innovation can come from our soil, flourish in our communities, and still resonate on the world stage. I am honoured, but more importantly, I am reminded to keep building.”
John’s record at Unilever Nigeria demonstrates why his recognition was, in the words of the judges, inevitable. He implemented weekly cost governance systems across six factories, ensuring leaders could see spending gaps in real time and act quickly. This approach cut logistics costs by 35 basis points, reduced inventory days on hand by seven days, and freed up significant cash flow. His plan to tackle slow-moving and obsolete stock reduced business waste by 25 basis points, preventing losses and stabilising working capital.
He also overhauled distribution cost management. By rolling out automated forecasting tools and introducing global cash-up processes, John improved forecast accuracy to within ±1 per cent. This precision allowed production to stay aligned with demand, reducing costly write-offs and contributing more than 1000 basis points of gross margin growth in one year. “We moved from reacting late to anticipating early,” John explained. “Forecasts stopped being a guess and started being a tool leaders could trust.”
John’s contributions extend beyond corporate cost savings. He has authored frameworks that are now used across the industry. His internal control and risk assurance model helps companies close compliance gaps early, protecting working capital and avoiding penalties. His financial impact model for waste reduction empowers managers to justify loss-reduction investments with data, strengthening the case for continuous improvement. His IFRS-driven audit model helps boards and regulators see clearer, more transparent reports, and his standardised cost-reduction templates give multinational teams a playbook for efficiency that works across geographies.
“These frameworks were born out of real problems we faced on the shop floor,” John told us. “We needed tools that worked under pressure — models that were simple enough for teams to use but rigorous enough to satisfy audit and management review. Seeing other companies adopt them is proof that we built something useful.”
Companies using these approaches report stronger cash cycles, fewer write-offs, and more consistent inventory quality. Some report measurable cuts in transport cost variance and improved plant efficiency metrics. Industry analysts credit John with shifting the finance conversation from back-office reporting to front-line decision-making.
The awards night captured this shift in mindset. The room was full of executives and policymakers discussing resilience, cost control, and the future of Nigerian manufacturing. When John spoke, he challenged the audience to see finance as a driver of growth rather than just compliance. “Finance cannot be a passive scorekeeper anymore,” he said. “We must sit with operations, understand the loss buckets, and help close them. That’s how we create value.”
Colleagues confirm that John lives this philosophy. He mentors analysts, teaches cost-bridge techniques, and coaches factory leaders on interpreting financial signals. “Capability building is as important as the savings themselves,” he said. “If teams can keep solving problems long after I’ve left the room, then we’ve built something that lasts.”
We believe John’s recognition comes at a crucial time. Nigerian and African businesses face pressure from inflation, foreign exchange volatility, and global supply chain disruptions. John’s data-driven, systems-based approach shows that it is possible to build resilience and competitiveness even in a tough environment. His frameworks make the business case for long-term investment clear, helping executives secure support for the systems and tools that matter most.
For us, the 2022 edition of the awards underscores a national shift toward celebrating measurable achievement and global relevance. We want professionals who not only deliver results but also create replicable models that raise the bar for everyone. John’s win is exactly that — a signal that Nigeria is producing leaders who are shaping the global conversation on supply chain finance and operational governance.
As John reflected on the future, he was clear about what comes next. “This award is encouragement, not closure,” he said. “There are still gaps to close — in planning, in cost discipline, in risk management. I intend to keep sharing what we’ve learned, keep building better systems, and keep mentoring the next wave of finance leaders.”
With this recognition, John joins a community of professionals whose work is defining the future of Nigerian business. His journey — from delivering measurable cost savings at the factory level to developing frameworks used across industries — shows that excellence is repeatable and scalable. By continuing to mentor, publish, and innovate, John Olajide is helping raise the standards of an entire sector, which is why we are proud to celebrate him as one of the defining talents of 2022.
