Nine finalists jostle for top slot in EY Entrepreneur Awards
As preparation for the 5th edition of Ernst & Young ‘Entrepreneur of the Year Awards’ in West Africa enters the final stage, nine finalists from Nigeria and Ghana have been shortlisted in the Master and Emerging categories, following thorough and rigorous screening processes.
Launched in West Africa in 2011, the award programme is about honouring and celebrating entrepreneurs who have combined ingenuity, hardwork and perseverance to create sustained successful growing businesses. The programme has enjoyed international recognition for the past 30 years.
Giving overview of the award, Henry Egbiki, EY country leader and regional managing partner for West Africa, says: “The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award was instituted to recognise and celebrate unique sets of men and women in West Africa who use their entrepreneurial energy and passion to change the world through creating job opportunities”.
Over the years we find that one of the most exciting places where entrepreneurial spirit is alive is across Africa. We at EY will continue to celebrate entrepreneurs in our own little way,” Egbiki says.
Sharing further insights about the awards, Bunmi Akinde, EOY leader in West Africa, notes that for the past five years, EY in West Africa has joined EY global Entrepreneur Of The Year team to recognise and honor entrepreneurs in West Africa.
“As the entrepreneurs continue to reshape our world with their innovation, energy and challenging status quo, they create economic and social value anywhere we look and that is why they are a good gift for the EY brand, because at EY, we are committed to building a better working world. I invite Nigerians to join us this year and be part of this our 5th year edition of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year in West Africa.”
EY started the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards programme in 1986 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the United States, to celebrate successful entrepreneurs, so they could share their stories, inspire others and receive the recognition they deserve. By 1987, it was held across 11 cities, and by 1993, the programme started to expand internationally.
In 2000, EY went global and started World Entrepreneur Of The Year. Held annually in Monaco, Entrepreneur Of The Year country winners compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year title.
Today, the programme spans more than 150 cities in 50 countries, which together represent more than 90 percent of the global economy.
Meanwhile, the shortlisted finalists for the 5th edition are as follows:
Master Entrepreneur category:
*Abdulrazaq Isa—founder/CEO, WaltersmithPetroman Oil Limited
*Nkechi Obi—founder/executive vice-chairman, Techno Oil Limited
*KwabenaAdjei—chairman, Kasapreko Limited
* Edmund Poku—CEO, Niche Cocoa & Processing Limited
Emerging Entrepreneur category:
*Alfred Okoigun—founder/CEO Arco Group plc
*Chidi Ajaere—executive chairman, God is Good Motors Limited
*Kofi Nsiah-Poku—CEO, Kinapharma Limited
*Bukky George—founder/CEO, HealthPlus Limited
*Prince Donatus Okonkwo—CEO, Tetrazzini Foods Plc
The winners will be announced at a gala/award ceremony dinner on February 05, at the Eko Hotels & Suites.
Previous winners of the award since 2011 include: Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, ex-GMD of Access Bank; Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Group; Austin Avuru, MD/CEO of Seplat Petroleum Development Company, and Wale Tinubu, group chief executive of Oando Plc, all of whom won the Master category. Emerging category winners were: Onajite Okoloko, CEO, Notore Chemical Industries Limited; Mitchell Elegbe, CEO of InterSwitch Nigeria; Femi Akintunde, MD/CEO of Alpha Mead Facilities & Management Limited, and Joe& Audrey Ezigbo of Falcon Petroleum Corporation.