Winners of 2017 Future Energy Nigeria Industry Awards

Winners have emerged in the 2017 Future Energy Nigeria Industry Awards, formerly known as the West African Power Industry Awards, at the Future Energy Nigeria conference and exhibition in Lagos.

The event brought together 150 of Nigeria’s most renowned power professionals to recognise and celebrate the leading industry pioneers and projects in four different categories.

The Future Energy Nigeria Industry Awards 2017:

Community Initiative Award

Winner: Ajima Farms and General Enterprises Nigeria Limited

“Ajima Farms Waste-2-Watt Project is honoured to be this year’s recipient of the Community Initiative Award. Our journey to get more communities electrified via clean energy is just starting but we are optimistic for what the future holds and we envisage continuous collaborative partnerships with the target communities.”

– Ms. Fatima Ademoh – Founder, Waste-2-Watt.

Waste-2-Watt (W2W) is a renewable energy project by Ajima Farms and General Enterprises Nigeria Limited that focuses on converting agricultural waste (poultry, livestock, crop waste) and communal waste (kitchen and human wastes) into electricity, cooking fuel using a bio-gas digester for off-grid farming communities at an affordable cost. Through this service, Ajima Farms provides cheaper access to clean energy and create jobs for the residents of these communities, stimulate economic growth while reducing the environmental problems that land filling this waste would have otherwise created. W2W is currently servicing two off-grid communities namely Rije and Kuyizhi in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.

Ajima Farms has profiled over 260 off-grid communities with similar needs and is currently conducting feasibility studies to deploy the solutions to the target communities; they aim to power 25 more off-grid agricultural communities which will provide electricity for an estimated 2,750 homes; 22,000 people and 250 businesses over the next three years.Waste-2-Watt is not a CSR project it is a social enterprise division of Ajima Farms with a vision to transform off-grid communities by expanding energy access for socio-economic development.

Energy Reporter of the Year

Winner: Emeka Anuforo, Senior Science and Energy Journalist, Abuja Bureau, The Guardian

Emeka Anuforo is a leading energy reporter in Nigeria, having covered the energy beat in Nigeria for over 15 years. In that time he has helped to shape energy policies through his thought pieces and held government and private sector accountable for ensuring energy access for millions of Nigerians. His articles and thought pieces are heavily syndicated and he is held in the highest regard by other journalists, by government officials and policy makers and by a significant section of the private sector. Emeka is currently on a short leave of absence and working for the African Development Bank’s Communications and External Relations Department.

“I am honoured to receive the Energy Reporter of the Year award in recognition of my work as a senior energy correspondent for The Guardian in Nigeria. I am passionate about the energy sector in Nigeria. We have huge potential for renewable energy on the continent and I hope we see that potential tapped in my lifetime for the benefit of all.

Like energy, investigative journalism is critical to the Africa of our dreams. I take this opportunity to call for greater support for science and energy journalism in Africa. I would also like to pass a message to young journalists not to give up on their dreams, to keep writing, because this award shows that hard work and perseverance pays off.  I would like to thank my editors and mentors over the years and, of course, Future Energy Nigeria for naming me Energy Reporter of the Year 2016-2017.”

– Emeka Anuforo

Award for Outstanding Contribution: Power

Winner: Daniel Chimaobi

“Winning is a wonderful feeling.

It feels great to be honoured for my contribution to the power sector in Nigeria. Every great feat, however, is an accumulation of smaller feats. Seize the little moments, give everything your best shot, never say never and the world will celebrate you.”

– Daniel Chimaobi

At age 30, Daniel Chimaobi NNA holds a Bachelor and Master of Science degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and also an MBA from the prestigious University of Lagos, Nigeria. A member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, he is the host of the first ever energy programme premier on the first university radio station in Nigeria, UNILAG Radio 103.1 FM since October 2013 till date with a community reach of over 40,000 students, management and teaching staff.

The program creates awareness, educates and provides advisory to the public on energy issues especially renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy conservation. He is also involved in the training and mentoring of about 200 higher institution students on energy related matters and provides guidance for the identification of energy related problems within university communities and innovative solutions to solve peculiar energy problems. Presently, he is a Research Officer at the National Centre for Energy Efficiency and Conservation, Energy Commission of Nigeria.

Outstanding Energy Project Award

Winner: Lumos Global

“Lumos Nigeria would like to extend our sincere thanks to Future Energy Nigeria for the recognition embodied in the ‘Outstanding Energy Project Award’. Our success to date is just the beginning of our journey and is the result of a great partnership with MTN.

Lumos is committed to bringing light to millions of Nigerians, providing affordable, reliable and renewable energy to homes and businesses. Inspired by the mobile revolution, we strive to become for the renewable energy sector what the mobile phone is for the communications.”

– Yuri Tsitrinbaum, CEO of Lumos Nigeria.

Lumos Global has created the technology for a ‘home power station in a box’, which includes a solar panel activated by text messaging,  that can supply sufficient clean, off-grid electricity for households and small to medium businesses in developing countries. The Lumos enterprise is widely praised for its innovative character, improving the standard of living for people in Nigeria and soon in many other locations around the globe. Lumos has also just announced its expansion plans into East Africa.

Best custom stand

The winner of the best custom stand at the Future Energy Nigeria exhibition was Skipper Nigeria Limited.

Future Energy Nigeria is organised by Spintelligent, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the infrastructure, real estate, energy, mining, agriculture and education sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include African Utility Week, Future Energy East Africa (formerly EAPIC), Future Energy Central Africa (formerly iPAD Cameroon), Future Energy Uganda, Agritech Expo Zambia, Kenya Mining Forum, Nigeria Mining Week and DRC Mining Week. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group.

UNILAG Obtains NBC TV License In Nigeria [2017]

The University of Lagos, Akoka (UNILAG), has become the first university in Nigeria to be granted a NBC TV License to operate a television station.

Ralph Akinfeleye, a professor and Chairman of UNILAG Radio and TV, confirmed that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), granted the TV licence to the institution on Thursday, November 9 [2017].

Continue reading UNILAG Obtains NBC TV License In Nigeria [2017]

D’Tigress emerge 2nd in 2017 FIBA 3×3 Africa Championship

D’Tigress of Nigeria have emerged second place winner in the female category of the inaugural 2017 FIBA 3×3 Africa Championship.

Mali proved too powerful for the D’Tigress in the final as they emerged 12-11 points winners in a keenly contested game.

Despite settling for the Silver medal, Nigeria’s Nkechi Akashili was named as one of the top 3 players alongside Mali’s Nassira Traore and Jamla Nasikombi of Uganda.

This is the second major title won under the new NBBF after the D’Tigress went 8 games unbeaten to emerge African champions in Mali.

The NBBF has so far led the national team at the cadet and senior level to 6 international competitions since its inauguration on the 21st of July, 2017 and returned with 2 gold trophies and 4 silver medals.

Final standings of the FIBA 3×3 Africa Cup 2017

Women

1.Mali
2.Nigeria
3.Uganda
4.Cote d’Ivoire
5.Egypt
6.Ghana
7.Togo
8.Niger
9.Mauritania
10.Gambia

Asisat Oshoala wins Chinese Women’s Super League 2017 Best Striker of the Season

Nigeria’s Super Falcons striker and Dalian Quanjian F.C. forward, Asisat Oshoala has emerged Chinese Women’s Super League Best Striker of the season for 2017.

The award follows her club’s win of the Chinese Women’s Super Cup after she scored twice and provided two assists to help Dalian Quanjian win the title.

In her words:

“PROUD MOMENT !! All GOLD everything!! 2017 Chinese women’s league award, BEST STRIKER OF THE SEASON (Top Scorer) …. Thanks to everyone for your support. I dedicate this award to my precious and loving sport mum, my sister and my best friend, whom has pushed and encouraged me throughout my season, thank you for everything @onosky5 , you are one of a kind. God bless and uplift you for me. #GoldenGirl #Buzzing #Alhamdulilah #ProudMoment”

Amina Mohammed Receives 2017 FP’s Diplomat Of The Year Award

Foreign Policy (FP) magazine has conferred the “2017 Diplomat of the Year” award on deputy United Nations Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed.

The diplomat of the year gong is a yearly event by the Foreign Policy magazine that reviews the accomplishments of leading officials and diplomats worldwide and seeks to identify those who have made the greatest contribution to international relations.

Mrs. Amina Mohammed, also the former Environment Minister of Nigeria takes over this award which was won by Google in 2016 and in 2015 by former United States Secretary of State, John Kerry.

In her acceptance message, the 56-year-old said she was receiving the accolade on behalf of the U.N. “that I proudly serve.” Adding, “I believe diplomacy is a tool that should bring us together to close the gap between what is and what should be in a world of peace, development and human rights.” She spoke about the challenges the U.N. faces in its global operations but stressed that there was the need to do all it takes to put the world on a good footing for future generations, adding that it was important for every one to become a diplomat in their own small way.

In her words:

“Today, as a woman of colour, a Muslim, an African, a mother of 6, a grandmother and as the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, I owe it to the world to dig deep and to do my part in support of António Guterres to achieve our goals for a more peaceful world of dignity and hope, managing international relations, building trust, and leveraging diplomacy in the most unconventional ways and always speaking truth to power for those whose voices cannot reach these corridors of power.

Finally, I accept this honour for those women diplomats gone before me as I stand on their shoulders to carry on their unfinished work in our world of pain, desperation and yet we don’t have the luxury of failure.”

Before her appointment, the Nigeria and UK trained development expert, Amina Mohammed, was acclaimed in Nigeria as one of President Buhari’s most vibrant and best-performing appointees – since she took office in 2015. She served as UN Under Secretary-General and Special Adviser to immediate past Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Post-2015 Development Planning. She was instrumental in bringing about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

As Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, Mrs. Amina Mohammed has largely been in the forefront of global diplomacy much more than most of her predecessors at the global body headquartered in New York. Her appointment according to the Antonio Guterres, the U.N. Secretary-General was in line with restructuring the organization to reflect gender parity. She continues to play an outward role especially in the area of the U.N. development agenda.

The ‘‘citizen diplomat of the year’’ went to Becca Heller, she is co-founder and director of the group International Refugee Assistance project (IRAP). Wendy Sherman, a former U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs was named the ‘‘national security diplomat of the year.’’

D’Tigers Win 2017 FIBA Africa 3×3 Championship

D’Tigers of Nigeria have emerged the inaugural champions in the men’s category of the 2017 FIBA Africa 3×3 Cup beating Cote d’Ivoire in the final game by 21 to 9 points.

The Nigerian team led by Azuoma Dike proved outstanding by defeating Egypt 21-14 points in the semi-finals and were unstoppable as Abdul Yahaya who scored a total of 39 points in five games triumphed over the Ivoriens.

It was double honors for Nigeria as Azuoma Dike was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament while being named in the competition’s  top three players list, which included Tisiane Traore of Cote d’ Ivoire and Elly Randriamampionona of Madagascar.

Final standings of the FIBA Africa 3×3 Cup 2017

 

Men

1.Nigeria
2.Cote d’Ivoire
3.Madagascar
4.Egypt
5.Togo
6.Mali
7.Benin
8.Uganda
9.Ghana
10.Mauritania
11.Niger
12.Gambia

Winners of 2017 Imbube African Book Festival and Awards

Benjamin Nwosu, Akandu Chinenye, Gertrude Uzon and Ochoche Elumah have emerged winners of the 2017 Imbube African Book Festival and Awards.

The four winners receive a cash prize of 200,000 Naira at the inaugural event organised by NerveFlo.

The Imbube African Book Festival and Awards is a literary event aimed at drawing attention to the growing body of literary works coming out of the African continent while holding discussions on literary trends and publications.

In addition, Oyindamola Oluwashola Abbaty and Gideon Chukwuemeka Ogbonna won an Infinix Smart x5010 phone and the AfriVR virtual reality headset, respectively for winning the Most Outstanding story (outside the top votes).

According to Silas Okwoche, founder and coordinator of the Imbube African Book Festival and Award:

“This is our first move towards rewarding young people for their interest in writing and also starting up an important discussion on the role of books in our society.

We will build upon this and ensure that there is diversity of voices in our literary space.”

NerveFlo is a unified digital content marketplace that allows African creators sell their ebooks/music/films directly to mobile and web consumers. The NerveFlo marketplace works brilliantly for emerging markets because it addresses the key bandwidth limitations and digital piracy limitations in these markets.

Writers, artists and film-makers can now signup and sell their works globally and locally without piracy fear and with hope for new streams of revenue via NerveFlo.