Organizations and individuals who contribute the most to put Nigeria and Nigerians in the global information and communications technologies (ICTs) map in 2009 would be honoured in the first quarter of next year with the Beacon of ICT awards.
Beacon of ICT awards, the merit-centric awards reward best practices and recognize outstanding contributions.
The awards were instituted by Communication Week Media Limited, publishers of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, the fiercely independent weekly ICT newspaper covering the know how of e-business, broadcasting, courier, computing, telecom, ICT career, and any other ICT business.
Ken Nwogbo, editor of the newspaper said that the awards are free and have been designed primarily to recognize government and business organizations as well as individuals for their creativity and excellence in the application of ICTs and solutions to provide efficient and high-quality services to Nigerians.
Awardees will be chosen by Nigerians who recognize and appreciate the guiding lights of the organizations and individuals as well as the symbols of hope they raise.
Voting lines for the various categories opened since November 2, 2009 and will close 6 pm, Monday, March 15, 2010.
“We are inviting the general public, especially users of ICT products and services to vote for nominees they feel deserve the awards under specific categories. The nominees were painstakingly selected by distinguished members of our selection committee consisting credible industry experts and ICT users. Send your nominations to [email protected]” Nwogbo added.
According to Nwogbo, these awards encourage organizations and individuals to continue to strive for excellence in all of their business and customer transactions, by implementation of innovative and improved ICT based services.
The flagship of the awards is the “Beacon of ICT Man of the Year” to honour the accomplishments of a leading ICT personality who has actively and consistently demonstrated initiative, creativity, support, commitment, and leadership in ICT and who has efficiently used ICT to achieve optimum results.
There is also the “Digital Governor of the Year” to reward a smart governor who has used ICT to improve the state by reducing service time, unwanted processes, and other redundancies.
Nwogbo “Awards categories are available on online at www.nigeriacommunicationsweek.com.ng or on the printed copy of the newspaper”
Beacon of ICT Awards aim among others; to evaluate and recognize standards of excellence in the country’s quest for growth and development in the use of ICT and encourage public and private and institutions to use ICT for development in general and improved public/citizens services in particular.
The awards hope to also motivate other stakeholders in effective utilization of ICT for citizen’s services and ensure that ICT professionals are provided a benchmark for recognizing and validating outstanding contribution
All these because ICTs have become indispensable tools in improving the efficiency and quality of public service and also emerging as the key to growth and competitiveness in an increasingly globalized economy.
