Digital Innovation Is Tool For Reinventing Businesses – Pantami

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami said the level of technological advancement and data-driven solutions have shown us that digital innovation is no longer an option but an essential tool for reinvention and effectiveness that will benefit businesses, individuals, and nations.

The minister disclosed this while chairing the third edition of the CIO Awards, with the theme “Honouring Digital Eminence” in Lagos and organized by Edniesal Consulting Limited, an enterprise governance firm.

Pantami ably represented by the director-general of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engineer Aliyu Aziz said the award ceremony was a testimony that the contributions of those who have greatly shaped the industry, disrupted the ecosystem, and immensely added to the economy with their creative ideas and solutions will not go unnoticed.

According to him, the projects and initiatives of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy and its commitment to the digital transformation of Nigeria are being enabled through the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), whose focus is on the digital economy to drive other sectors in the economy, while facilitating the digitalization of all sectors in Nigeria.

“In essence, we need a digital government, a digital society, and also a digital economy for a digital transformation to improve the lives of our people and support stronger communities. The task at hand requires a nationwide coordinated effort.

“For stakeholders, it must be a collaborative effort to reorganize administration and governance. I want to implore all participants here to study the strategy and see areas of collaboration to transform Nigeria,” the minister further stated. The CIO Awards honoured transformational personalities in the tech ecosystem.

In her welcome speech, the convener, CIO Awards and the CIO Club Africa, Abiola Laseinde, said that the CIO Awards is the first of its kind in Nigeria and it has now embarked on an African expansion to include digital leaders from Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana.

‘This year, the awards categories have been increased to include Media, Education, and Social Services. Our special awardees are transformational leaders who are running the most successful projects, winning initiatives, and driving transformational growth in the industry’, she added.

“All the finalists were selected during strict evaluation processes. We invited independent members of the Jury from Nigeria and other African countries to assist us to objectively examine and make qualified assessments of the shortlisted entries and nominees. The evaluation exercise was done in conjunction with our technical partners; Deloitte and KPMG,” she added.

The founder/MD of Systemspecs Ltd, John Obaro, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, country manager, Google West Africa and Victor Onyedineke of A.G Leventis were awarded the Female Leader in Technology and Overall CIO of the Year, respectively.

Other categories were in the Banking, Consumer goods, Education, Fintech and OFIs, Insurance, Media, Social and Public, and Tech and Telco sectors. In his speech, the president of the Executive Leadership Council of the  CIO Club Africa, Obinna Ukonu said the need to recognize, celebrate, and appreciate digital personalities has never been this important.