Nigerian Firms Declare N24.3bn in Unclaimed Dividends

A total of N24.3 billion in unclaimed dividends has been declared by several companies, including Nestle Nigeria Plc, Dangote Cement Plc, and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. This figure represents a 26% decrease from N32.65 billion reported in 2024.

Nestle Nigeria reported the highest unclaimed dividend of N4.31 billion, a nearly 52% drop from N8.97 billion in 2024. Dangote Cement declared N4 billion, down 23.1% from N5.2 billion in 2024.

Other companies reporting unclaimed dividends include Lafarge Africa (N3.21 billion), Unilever Nigeria (N3.2 billion), and Nigerian Breweries (N2.7 billion). The Financial Act of 2020 mandates that unclaimed dividends be transferred to a trust fund after six years.

The total unclaimed dividend liability as of December 31, 2025, stands at N66.95 million, with Nigeria's total unclaimed dividends estimated at N200 billion.