It was a night of glitz and glamour recently in Lagos when practitioners in Nigeria’s integrated marketing communications industry were recognised for their positive impact in the industry at the Industry Summit/Awards Night.

With the theme: “Financial Inclusion, Digital Payment and the Challenges of Banking the Unbanked”, the event held at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Ikeja, was the third edition since it started three years ago.

Biodun Shobanjo, Chairman Troyka Holdings being an authority in Africa’s marketing and marketing communications landscape was adjudged by the Industry Summit/Awards Team of Assessors as the Doyen of Advertising in Africa.

Phil Osagie, Chief Executive Officer, JSP Communications, Enyi Odigbo, Chairman, Casers Group, Dozie Mbanefo, CEO, New Crystal Comms, Kunle Onime, CEO MPC, Emeka Okeke, GCEO Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis, and Onyekachi Onubogu were given Life Time Award.

In addition, Femi Adelusi, CEO, BrandEye Media, Chioma Afe, Group Head, Retail Marketing & Analytics, Access Bank PLC, Olumuyiwa Akande, Group Head, Corporate Communications, SIFAX Group, Charles Udoh, Commissioner for Environment, Akwa-Ibom State among others were confered with award for special recognition impact players of the year 2021.

The award for special recognition was given to Lampe Omoyele, MD/CEO NITRO 121, Tunde Shobanjo, CEO, Leo Burnett Lagos, Steve Babaeko, COO/CEO, X3M IDEAS, Israel Jaiye Opayemi, CEO, Chain Reaction, Tokunboh George Taylor, CEO, H+K Strategies, Andrew Eiremiokhae, Executive Director, Oracle Experience among others for impact players of the year 2021.

Other recipients include the Chief Executive Officer of Modion Communications, Odion Aleobuah, who was awarded PR Man of the Year, Rotimi Bankole, Chief Executive of SBI Stagwell, (Media Man of the Year) and First Bank Plc., (Advertiser of the Year), Simisola Hughes Obisesan, Insight Redefini (Creative Director of the Year), Akin Adewakun of Nigerian Tribune (Brand Journalist of the Year) and Emmanuel Oriakhi, Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries (Marketing Man of the Year).

In the corporate awards category, X3M Ideas bagged the Ad agency of the Year Award, Heineken snatched the Best in Marketing- FMCG category, Trophy won the Alcoholic Beverage of the Year Award, as Dangote carted the Best in Sustainability Award -FMCG category among awardees.

Earlier in his opening remarks, convener of The Industry Summit/Awards and the Editor-in-Chief of The Industry Newspapers, Goddie Ofose, said the awardees were selected through a painstaking process based on the impact their contributions have made in the industry.

He noted that, one of the rationale behind the gesture is to encourage the awardees to spur them to continue in their good work.

The event attracted stakeholders from the Integrated Marketing Communications space as well as from politics.