Chief Commercial Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Wael Ammar; Winner of Etisalat Prize for Innovation 2012 (Most Innovative Idea), Mr. Oyehmi Begho; with his business partner, Miss Nkemdilim Uwaje and Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Steven Evans, at the 2013 Etisalat Prize for Innovative Press Conference, held at Four Point By Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos, today, Thursday, 7th February, 2013.
Winners of the 1st edition of the ‘Etisalat prize for Innovation’were celebrated at a media event held at the FourPoints by Sheraton Hotel in Lagos yesterday. The winners who were announced at the Africa Com Gala dinner held in Cape Town last year will be supported by Etisalat in further developing the two winning entries for product/idea of the competition, Mobile Maths Practice and i-Connect.
The Etisalat Prize for Innovation awarded in two categories was designed to reward corporate organisations; small and growing businesses, as well as individuals developing advanced mobile broadband solutions and platforms which would boost the growth of mobile broadband in Africa.
Speaking at the media presentation, Chief Executive Officer, Mr Steven Evans noted that government and stakeholders across the continent are making concerted efforts to boost the adoption of mobile broadband as it has been identified as the future of mobile technology usage. “We are currently working with Sinelimit and Future Software to further develop Mobile Maths Practice and iConnect in order to provide solutions to everyday challenges that make a difference to our average customer economically and socially”, he said.
Thanking Etisalat for the prize, winner for the first category of the $25, 000 prize for the most innovative product or service launched in the last 12 months, Olaseni Odebiyi of Sinelimit, said his Mobile Maths Practice aims to reduce the failure rates of Nigerian students who seat for university pre-qualification examinations such as JAMB and WAEC.
Also showing his appreciation to Etisalat, second prize winner of $10,000 for the most innovative idea, Oyehmi Begho said his i-Connect project, Mobile ICT Units proposed to supply mobile broadband internet vehicles to schools in various geographical areas provides both economic and social benefits as technology is currently a key driver for economic growth in advanced nations. According to him, “I am excited that my entry for the most innovative product is focused on using broadband to develop education in Nigeria. We live in a world where technology drives everything. We are way behind in Nigeria and if we do not bridge the technology divide, we will be left alone.”
Etisalat used the occasion to announce that this years’ competition will be open for about six months to allow for more entries. Each entry must show demonstrable impact on broadband usage, impressive uptake from customers and would have made a visible commercial or social impact in the community.
The Etisalat Prize for Innovation is a reflection of Etisalat’s reputation as the most innovative telecommunications brand in the country.
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