Other awardees included the Managing Director, Digital Realty Nigeria, Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), Mr. Gbenga Sesan, and Managing Director, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Mr. Muhammed Rudman, among others.

Confirming these at the weekend, Sir Remmy Nweke, the lead consulting strategist, DigitalSENSE Africa and Group Executive Editor, ITREALMS Media group, said that recognition in the corporate category included Upland College, Digital Realty Nigeria, Welcome Centre Hotels and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

As said by him, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem emerged the DigitalSENSE Africa Broadband Advocate of the decade; Mrs. Ibukun Odusote was acknowledged as DigitalSENSE Africa Empowerment Advocate of the decade; Dr. Chris Nwannenna as DigitalSENSE Africa IG4D Advocate of the decade; Engr. Gbenga Adebayo was honoured as DigitalSENSE Africa Telecoms Advocate of the decade; and Mr. Muhammed Rudman was named the DigitalSENSE Africa Internet Personality of the decade.

Also, Engr. Ike Nnamani emerged as the DigitalSENSE Africa Connectivity Enabler of the decade; Mr. Francis Uzor was honoured as DigitalSENSE Africa IG4D Ambassador of the decade; Mr. Gbenga Sesan came top as DigitalSENSE Africa IG4D Influencer of the decade, while honour was bestowed on chairman, NDSF@15, Mr. Edetaen Ojo as the DigitalSENSE Africa Freedom of Information (FoI) Champion of the decade.

Dr. Ekuwem, he said, was represented at NDSF@15 by the Chief Technical Officer, Teledom Group, Engr. Joseph Enyia, and Mrs. Odusote likewise Mr. Rudman were represented by President, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) Mr. Sola Akinsanya, while the legal adviser to DNS WomenNG, Barr. Mrs. Amaka Onumonu and Ms Peculiar Showale stood in for Engr. Ike Nnamani and Mr. Gbenga Sesan, respectively.

In the corporate category, he said that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) emerged DigitalSENSE Africa Telecoms Regulator of the Decade; Digital Realty Nigeria (formerly Medallion) was named the DigitalSENSE Africa Data Centre of the decade; Upland College come-forth as DigitalSENSE Africa Most Supporting School of the Decade; and Welcome Center Hotels went home with the DigitalSENSE Africa Valuable Partner of the Decade.

He also said that the recognition were part of the agenda to mark the 15th years of hosting the Nigeria DigitalSENSE forum on Internet Governance for Development presided over by the award-winning Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda, Mr. Edetaen Ojo with the theme: “IG4D: Innovative Digital Economy & Safer Civic Space in Nigeria.”

According to Nweke, NDSF@15, held at the prestigious Welcome Center Hotels, International Airport Road, Lagos, attracted civil societies, non-st actors, community based organisations, youth, students, media, men and women as well as internet and telecommunications enthusiasts in the country.

A panel session anchored by Nweke had speakers made up of seasoned industry experts including the NDSF@15 chairman, Mr. Ojo, Engr. Adebayo; Executive Director, Mr. Sesan, who was represented by Ms Peculiar Showale and Data Protection Officer, Upperlink Limited, Ms Francisca Iloezumma, whereas the open mic session was sponsored by the Domain Name System Women Foundation in Nigeria (DNS WomenNG).

Nweke recalled that in 2009, the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum (NDSF) series on Internet Governance for Development made a debut at the Golden Gate Restaurant Ikoyi-Lagos and ever since, has remained firm in rallying stakeholders to take discourse on Internet access, openness, affordability, connectivity and ICT infrastructure among others.

“These awards are our own ways of appreciating both individual and corporate support over the years. It has not been easy but with God by our side and support of most of these persons and organisations in deepening and sustaining our contribution on Internet penetration, improving access, affordability, technological adaptation that bring forth digital sense in Nigeria. So, here we are today,” Nweke declared.

NDSF series on IG4D powered by ITREALMS Media group is hosted by DigitalSENSE Africa, an At-Large Structure (ALS) certified by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), in collaboration with relevant stakeholders not limited to Internet Society (ISOC), Nigeria chapter, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Digital Realty Nigeria, NNPC Limited, NLNG, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) among others.

Digital Realty Nigeria, formally known as Medallion Data Centres Limited is a Lagos-based number 1 peering point for the region.

Confirming this, the Lead Consulting Strategist, DigitalSENSE Africa, a project of ITREALMS Media group, Sir Remmy Nweke, said that Engr. Nnamani, the immediate past National President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) would be the guest speaker at the 2024 NDSF on the theme “IG4D: Innovative Digital Economy & Safer Civic Space in Nigeria.”

Nnamani, who was also the former member of the Executive Board cum Treasurer of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), would join the Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda, and chairman of 2024 NDSF on Internet Governance for Development, Mr. Edetaen Ojo.

Pointing out that the 2024 NDSF on Internet Governance for Development has been confirmed to hold at the prestigious, Welcome Center Hotels, International Airport Road, Lagos by 10am.

Nweke recalled that for over 16 years, Engr. Nnamani has led the Digital Realty datacenter in Lagos, which boosts all submarine cables in the region, long distance providers, metro fiber providers, mobile services providers, fixed services providers, Over-The-Top (OTT) providers, Internet Exchange, Value Added Service (VAS) providers, and global Tier1 service providers, among others.

He pointed out that over 68 per cent of all internet traffic exchanged at the Nigeria Internet Exchange takes place at Digital Realty’s datacenter in Lagos, Nigeria, just as the company recently completed its ultra-modern 1MW IT Load state-of-the-art datacenter called LOS2 in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

Also, Engr. Nnamani is reputed for promoting the establishment of telecom infrastructure in several African countries including Ghana, Togo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, and Angola to name a few.