BusinessDay wins most impactful business newspaper award

In its tradition of winning laurels both in the local and the international media spaces, BusinessDay has again won the prestigious award of the most impactful newspaper on business and commerce, from the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry(LCCI).

BusinessDay, the leading business newspaper in the country, beat the Punch and Guardian newspapers to clinch the award for the newspaper category.  BusinessDay won the award for “providing a platform for local businessmen and foreigners to air their views , gain quality information and evolving as an intellectual print medium and best business newspaper in the country.’’

The event which was the maiden edition of the LCCI’s Commerce and Industry Award, was held last Thursday in Lagos. It had in attendance captains of industry, heads of financial institutions and leaders in the business and commerce sector of the economy.

Receiving the award on behalf of BusinessDay, Phillip Isakpa, editor of the publication, congratulated staff of the newspaper, especially those in the editorial department, adding that the award would spur his team into doing more to satisfy the reading public.

“There is a lot more to do in the readers’ space and there is much more we would do for the reading public,’’ he said.

In the television category, Channels Television defeated African Independent Television(AIT)  and CNBC Africa, to win the award, whereas Nigeria Info 99.3 FM won the award in the radio category.

 Dangote Group claimed the company of the year award, while First Bank of Nigeria Plc won the award in the bank category.

Seplat Petroleum Development Plc won the award in the upstream petroleum sector category, while Oando Plc won it in the downstream category. In the downstream (Independent Marketer) category, Technoil emerged winner, while Julius Berger won the building and construction category. In the telecoms, Etisalat defeated peers to clinch the award of the most innovative and impactful telecoms operator; while Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, won the agriculture category.

In the transport sector, ABC transport emerged victorious, while Konga won the retail trade sector category. Uniliver Plc emerged winner in the health, body care and house care manufacturing category, while Mansard Insurance won in the insurance category.

Speaking earlier, Remi Bello, president, LCCI, said the process of selecting winners was very painstaking, as there were over 550 entries from virtually all the sectors of the economy. According to him, the task was performed by an assessor group of  of eminent personalities such as Joan Eleguido, vice-chancellor, Pan African University; Mazi Sam Ohabunwa, Nadu Denloye, Sola Oyetayo, among others,

“There is no better time to make impact in any system. The award is to celebrate private and public institutions operating in Nigeria for their best business practices, growth through innovation, business sustainability and positive impact on the people,’’ he said.

Badaru Mohammed, national president, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture(NACCIMA) said studies have revealed that the most basic social responsibility of any organisation is to help generate growth, create wealth and ensure sustainable economic opportunity, stressing the need for government to enhance the growth of the private sector, through effective  policies and programmes.

BusinessDay Media Limited had in the past won the First Bank Prize for Business Publication of the Year award organised by the Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA), among other awards. Its staff had won the acclaimed Citi Award, Nigerian Stock Exchange laurels, among numerous others in and outside the country.

ODINAKA ANUDU