By Chinenye Anuforo
The seventh .ng Awards, organised by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), celebrated the achievements of outstanding individuals and organizations in Nigeria’s digital landscape, recently.
The event, held in Lagos, recognised excellence and innovation in various categories, across private, government and individual spheres.
The seventh .ng Awards, themed “The Innovators of 2024,” aimed to recognize digital innovation being done on the .ng domain across various sector, banking, agritech, at the state-level, and in the media space, among others. The platform “not only recognizes excellence but also actively promotes the .ng brand, contributing significantly to the growth of Nigeria’s internet space.”
The award night opened with the General Category in which Nibox Payment won Company of the Year—the biggest award of the night.
FairMoney, Lagos State, Galaxy Backbone, University of Nigeria, The Guardian and others were winners on the night.
The two-day event, which commenced with the Tech Convergence 1.0 conference, featured insightful discussions on emerging technologies, digital trends, and the role of the .ng domain in shaping Nigeria’s digital future.
Industry leaders, policymakers, and tech enthusiasts gathered to explore opportunities and challenges in the digital space. It also comes with a fireside chat by the Commissioner of Innovation, Science and Technology, Lagos State, Olatunbosun Alake on “Shaping Tomorrow: The Role of State-Level Collaboration in Building a Tech-Driven Future”.
He emphasised the crucial role of public-private partnerships in driving digital growth. He specifically highlighted Lagos State’s efforts in leveraging technology for the benefit of its citizens, and also cited how government is funding innovative ideas of the youth in Lagos
Other notable winners include; FairMoney.ng; Fintech Company of the Year; Lagos State: Digital Innovation in State Government; National Identity Management Commission NIMC, which won Digital Innovation in Federal Government: Digital Innovation in Federal Government and Jumia Nigeria: Best E-Commerce Website/Portal.
Other recipients of the prestigious NiRA Presidential Award were; GO54, recognized as the Best ccTLD Registrar for their exceptional service and contribution to the .ng domain; National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), honored as the Most Supportive Partner for their unwavering support of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem; Mrs. Eyitayo Iyortim, President AfTLD for her contributions to the internet space and Gbenga Sesan of Paradigm Initiative, awarded for his tireless advocacy and commitment to child protection online.
Special recognition awards were also presented to organisations and individuals for their contributions to Nigeria’s internet space, including Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani of Digital Realty, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, Chairperson of the NiRA Board of Trustees, and the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), among others.