Edniesal set to celebrate tech stakeholders at 2nd CIO awards

Edniesal Consulting Limited, an enterprise governance, and business consultancy firm is set to celebrate key players in Nigeria’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry as plans are in motion for the second edition of the prestigious Chief Information Officer (CIO) Awards.

Abiola Laseinde, MD/CEO, Edniesal Consulting, who is also the convener of the awards said the objective of the CIO Awards is to recognize and celebrate the outstanding work by CIOs, Chief Technology Officers, Chief Digital Officers, and other leaders in the Information Technology ecosystem across various business sectors of the economy.

“These are the unsung heroes that bring innovation to bear while discharging their duties, and importantly, positively affecting business functions,” she said.

The Awards ceremony, which is being scheduled to take place on November 26th at Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lekki. As the ceremony draws closer, assessments on the nominations received so far are ongoing by the Jury team.

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“Today, technology has become a mainstay of our everyday lives including leading businesses and organizations, those behind the workings are hardly mentioned, which is why the CIO Awards was inaugurated and has come to stay,” she added.

Laseinde assured stakeholders of a credible process and expressed appreciation to the Jury body and other technical partners for the project such as PwC and Ernst and Young (EY) Nigeria for accepting to be a part of the process.

The jury is chaired by Ade Bajomo, Executive Director, Access Bank Plc, with Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka of MTN as vice-chairman. Some of the leading categories where prizes are up for grabs include Banking, Telecoms, Fintech amongst others.

Sharing his experience of the award, Richard Amafonye, CIO, Wema Bank, and winner, CIO of the year – Banking for 2020 said winning a professional award means a lot, a tangible size of expertise, a reasonable marker of achievement, and indeed an affirmation of capability, and a constant reminder to up performances and meet expectations.

“One of the benefits of the awards is that it provides a platform for awardees and their companies to connect with key players in the industry and ensure a solid presence,” he said.

Another recipient of the Award, Obinna Ukonu, Business Solutions and Systems Director, Nigerian Bottling Company, and Winner, CIO of the year – Consumer Goods & Retail, said receiving the award helped elevate his visibility and presence, and provided an opportunity to connect with other IT leaders and thought leaders within the industry.