The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has won the governor of the year on infrastructural development at the 10th Lead Big Innovation Festival in Lagos recently.
Other winners at the epoch making event include Courteville Business Solutions- The LEAD Grand Award for I.T Innovation; Tony Elumelu Foundation- Global Leadership Prize for Entrepreneurship Philanthropy in Africa; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-African Change Leadership Prize; Peter Cole- Young Innovator of the Year ; Uyime Idem, CEO Idems Group- Telecoms Entrepreneur of the Year and Princess Adebowale Odutola- The LEAD Grand Award for Excellence in the Fashion Industry.
Meanwhile, Dr. Seye Kehinde, Publisher, City People Group emerged LEAD Grand Award for Excellence in Journalism; Kenny Jones- African Clothier of the Year; Mrs. Oluyemisi Iranloye, CEO Psaltry International, a start up with over 300 workforce bagged the Global Business Woman of Excellence Award; Sifax group- LEAD Grand Award for Distinction in Logistics Services and Accion Microfinance Bank, LEAD Award for Excellence in Micro financing among others.
Speaking on the innovation that have greeted the continent, Mr. Paul Jide Peters, CEO Bullion Media/ Executive Director, LEAD Project Africa said, one of the biggest innovations to come out of Africa is mobile money transfer, which has disrupted traditional financial models in Africa.
“The technology behind it has been exported to the west. The continent is starting to see the rise of e-healthcare solutions and online education solutions,” he said.
He said, “For the first time in decades, we are seeing a new trend of being technology innovators rather than just mere consumers, and more innovators from Silicon Valley are partnering with Africa for co-creation of value.
However, he said “we must sustain and continue to drive the technology and innovation boom as well as create a great momentum and explore more opportunities by taking advantage of global best practices. We need to build more partnerships. We need to think global while we act while we network with best in the world”.
This year’s keynote speaker, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by Mr. Wale Edun, ex-Commissioner for Finance, Lagos State called on Africa businesses to continue to innovate and compete among the international organisations.
According to him, Africa is a new gold and opportunities abound in the continent for local businesses to thrive. Apart from these opportunitie, the continent is blessed with human resources as one of us is currently ranked among the top rich list in the world,: Edun said.
The LEAD Project Africa is a social enterprise initiatives designed to ignite the Spirit of Enterprise, Creativity, Innovation and Service Excellence, and also stimulating economic growth in Africa. The LEAD celebrates and recognizes creativity, innovations, brilliant ideas and enterprises in various sectors of the African economy. Among the objectives are to proffer solutions to economic Challenges and business growth in Africa.
