MTN Nigeria, Mainstream Energy, others bag AfriSAFE 2024 awards

Elizabeth Nkumbula, Chairman, Africa Vision Zero Network; Gloria Browne-Marshall, Professor of Constitutional Law and African Studies; John Jay College (CUNY), United States; David Arku, Vice President, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), and Wale Bakare, Governing Board Member, AfriSAFE during the presentation of Continental Impact Award to IOSH at the AfriSAFE Congress & Award held at the The Avani Resort, Livingstone, Zambia on Friday, November 8.

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Mainstream Energy Solution Ltd and Olam Crown Flour Mills led a list of corporate organisations honoured at the AfriSAFE Congress & Awards 2024 held in Livingstone, Zambia on November 8.

In a statement by Femi Da-silva, the CEO of AfriSAFE, disclosed that MTN Nigeria, Mainstream Energy Solution Ltd and Crown Flour Mills won in the Telecommunications, Power and Fleet Management categories of the organisation section respectively.

The Africa Safety Award for Excellence (AfriSAFE) is an annual event promoting conversations about workplace safety, occupational health and environmental sustainability in Africa, while celebrating exceptional organisations and individuals for their contributions to the advancement of the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) industry.

Da-Silva said that since its establishment in 2019, AfriSAFE has consistently been at the forefront of promoting health, safety, and environmental best practices in Africa, hence the awardees were drawn from diverse sectors across the continent.

He said Seplat Energy Plc, Zambeef Products Ltd, Golden Africa Djibouti, Lucara Diamond Botswana, ABSA Bank Zambia Plc, Prime Atlantic Safety Services, Africa Data Centres, IHS Zambia Limited and Zanaco Bank Zambia also bagged various honours.

Others are Tieto Minerals, Africa Data Centres, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Egbin Power Plc, RKK Group, KUO Fire Safety Limited and Zambian Breweries PLC.

Also honoured were KEC International Limited, Stefanutti Stocks Zambia Construction Ltd, Hybrid-HSE Limited, and Varun Beverages Zambia Limited.

In the individual section, Akin Omole, Managing Director of Greenview Development Nigeria Limited; Ayokunle Iluyemi, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, IHS Towers; Mizinga Melu, Managing Director of ABSA Bank Zambia; Lamu Audu, Managing Director of Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited; Ikenna Innocent Nwaozuzu, Chief Executive Officer of BRYK Fire Equipment Limited, won in the CEO Recognition Award category.

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The winners in the other individual categories include Ayodele Adebola, Sharon Atieno, Annie Zulu, Isaac Adams, and Albert Sichivula.

Others are Haig Anyonyi, Cosmas Anakwue, Engr. Nsikak A. Ekam, Jimmie Cliffe, Alex Kasengo, James Adenuga among others.

Meanwhile, Oswald Magwenzi, the CEO of Zambia Sugar Plc, introduced the “Livingstone Safety Declaration” during a keynote address at the award ceremony.

This landmark proposal which aims to promote a shared vision of safety across every facet of life on the African continent reads: “A safe continent, safe countries, safe communities, safe food, safe water, safe cities, safe tourist activities, safe homes, safe schools, safe colleges and universities, safe transport and travel, safe workplaces, everything safe.”

As the CEO of the event’s headline sponsor, Magwenzi’s announcement was made in the presence of the Zambian Minister of Labour, Hon. Brenda Tambatamba, members of the AfriSAFE board, safety professionals from across 24 African nations, journalists, and other critical stakeholders.

In her keynote speech delivered at the award event, Brenda Tambatamba, the Minister of Labour and Social Security of Zambia, said the recipients represented a beacon of commitment, passion, and unwavering courage.

“You remind us that the preservation of our environment is deeply intertwined with the health of our people. You champion the changes that must take place: from safer materials and cleaner methods to green innovation. Your essential work compels industries to embrace not only the economic imperative of sustainability but a moral one as well,” the minister said.

AfriSAFE 2024 has Zambia Sugar as headline sponsor. Other key sponsors include the world’s largest membership organization for safety and health professional, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), Kenya Airways, RKK Group, Tieto Minerals, Zanaco Bank, Absa Bank, Savenda Group, Sinoma Mpande Limestone Limited, TotalEnergies Zambia Marketing Limited, Liquid Telecoms, SMTS Zambia, Hybrid Group, Global Wealth University and the Nigeria Institution of Safety Engineers.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.