Etisalat vs Jumia | Who wins Nigeria’s top Internet award?

Etisalat Nigeria, the fourth biggest mobile phone company and Jumia, the e-commerce giant are among the top companies nominated for company of the year in the .ng Awards 2017, the nation’s top Internet honours.

The the .ng Awards 2017 organized by the Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NIRA), which is in charge of Nigeria’s ccTLD had opened nominations for the awards few weeks back and has now unveiled the nominees in all the categories.

While Etisalat and Jumia headline the company of the year category, there are other top companies the award could still go to. Companies like Edubridge Consultants Limited for computervillage.ng, Galaxy Backbone for galaxybackbone.gov.ng, Google for google.com.ng, Hotels.ng for hotels.ng, Ringier Media Nigeria Ltd for pulse.ng and Wefix for wefix.com.ng are all in the run for the top prize.

The .ng Awards according to NIRA celebrate the achievements and innovation of Nigerian Internet initiatives. The awards aim to showcase Nigerian businesses, individuals, charity, public and private sector organizations which help to make the Internet a more secure, open, accessible and rewarding experience for all.

The country’s internet managers says the annual .ng Awards are open to any organisation or individual whose activity online is outstanding, using the .ng domain name.

According to NIRA, the following criteria was used for the selection of nominees:  Company, organization or individual must have registered and is doing business with a .ng domain name, the Domain name must have been registered for over 6 months and the website associated with the domain name must be active on the internet.

Having unveiled the nominees for all the categories of the 2017 .ng Awards, NIRA has since February 20 kicked off the voting process which will end on the April 3rd, 2017 with a glamorous awards gala scheduled to take place on Friday, 21st April, 2017. The URL for voting is http://nira.org.ng/voting/vote.php.

Winners for each category will be determined through the online voting and decisions from an array of competent Award Jury selected based on their relevance and expertise, according to NIRA.

The full list of all the award categories and nominees:

1. .ng Company of the Year

This award is presented to the company or organization that has demonstrated excellence in business innovation, online user experience and commitment to the Nigeria Internet community while embracing sound business practices.

Nominees

1. Edubridge Consultants Limited for computervillage.ng b
2. Etisalat for etisalat.com.ng
3. Galaxy Backbone for galaxybackbone.gov.ng
4. Google for google.com.ng V. Hotels.ng for hotels.ng
5. Jumia for jumia.com.ng
6. Ringier Media Nigeria Ltd for pulse.ng
7. Wefix for wefix.com.ng

 

2. Most Innovative Service Provider online

This award is presented to the organization that promotes innovative service delivery on the Internet.

Nominees

1. Hotels.ng for hotels.ng
2. Jiji.ng for jiji.ng
3. Kitovu Technology Company for kitovu.com.ng
4. MinCommerce Solutions LTD for min.com.ng
5. OgaVenue for ogavenue.com.ng
6. SLOT for slot.ng VII. ToLet for tolet.ng
7. Wefix for wefix.com.ng

 

3. Best Banking Website/Portal This award is presented to the bank’s website or portal that delivers the best user experience.

Nominees

1. Bank of Industry (BOI) for boi.ng
2. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for cbn.gov.ng
3. Fidelity Bank Plc for fidelitybank.ng
4. Nigeria Export – Import Bank (NEXIM) for neximbank.com.ng
5. Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) Nigeria Limited for rmb.com.ng

 

4. Best Insurance company Website/Portal This award is presented to the insurance company website or portal that delivers the best user experience.

Nominees

1. Cornerstone Insurance Plc for cornerstone.com.ng
2. Ensure Insurance Plc for ensure.com.ng
3. Marina Medical Services HMO for marinamedicalhmo.ng
4. Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF)for nsitf.gov.ng
5. Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) for ndic.gov.ng

 

5. Best E-payment Website/Portal

This award is presented to the E-payment company with the best website or portal that delivers the best user experience.

Nominees

1. GlobalPAY for globalpay.com.ng
2. Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc for nibss-plc.com.ng
3. PayMe for payme.ng IV. PayU for payu.com.ng
4. SimplePay Limited for simplepay.ng VI. Western Union – Nigeria for westernunion.ng

 

6. Best Tertiary Institution website/portal

This award is presented to the Tertiary Institution/University with the best .edu.ng website/portal; based on how current the website is, the level of local content on the website, ease of use, relevance of the website for delivery of educational services and how dynamic the website is.

Nominees

1. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi for atbu.edu.ng
2. American University of Nigeria for aun.edu.ng
3. Bayero University, Kano for Buk.edu.ng IV. Bells University Of Technology, Ota for bellsuniversity.edu.ng
4. Caleb University, Lagos for calebuniversity.edu.ng
5. Covenant University Canaanland, Ota for convenantuniversity.edu.ng
6. Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi for fptb.edu.ng
7. Federal University Oye-Ekiti for fuoye.edu.ng
8. Madonna University Nigeria for madonnauniversity.edu.ng
9. University of Ilorin for unilorin.edu.ng
10. University of Lagos for unilag.edu.ng XII. University Of Nigeria Nsukka for unn.edu.ng
11. University of Uyo for uniuyo.edu.ng

 

7. Best Secondary School website/portal

This award is presented to the Secondary school with the best .sch.ng website/portal; based on how current the website is, the level of local content on the website, ease of use, relevance of the website for delivery of educational services and how dynamic the website is.

Nominees

1. Adorable British Academy, Enugu for abc.sch.ng
2. Bishop Okoye Spiritan Secondary School, Rivers for bosss.sch.ng
3. Command Secondary School, Lagos for dcss.sch.ng
4. Debiruss Secondary School, Lagos for debiruss.sch.ng
5. Federal Government College, Enugu for fgcenugu.sch.ng
6. Federal Government College, Sokoto for fgcsokoto.sch.ng
7. Ifako International Schools, Lagos for ifako.sch.ng
8. MasterCare International School, Delta for mcis.sch.ng
9. Our Lady of Apostles School Yaba, Lagos for ourladyofapostlessecondaryschoolyaba.sch.ng
10. Shepherd International College, Nasarawa for shepherds.sch.ng
11. Topfaith International Secondary School (Akwa Ibom) for topfaith.sch.ng

 

8. Best Primary School website/portal

This award is presented to the Primary school with the best .sch.ng website/portal; based on how current the website is, the level of local content on the website, ease of use, relevance of the website for delivery of educational services and how dynamic the website is.

Nominees

1. Bluebell Montessori International School, Rivers for bluebell.sch.ng
2. Comprehensive Autism and related Disabilities Education and Training (C.A.D.E.T.) Academy, Abuja for cacademy.sch.ng
3. Debiruss Primary School, Lagos for debiruss.sch.ng IV. Evergreen Royal Private School, Lagos for evergreen.sch.ng V. Ifako International Schools, Lagos for ifako.sch.ng
4. PANAF primary schools, Kaduna for panaf.sch.ng
5. Sang Bleu Academy, Lagos for sba.sch.ng

 

9. Startup company of the year

This award is presented to the startup company that uses the Internet creatively & innovatively to scale up their business and achieve business competitiveness.

Nominees

1. ChowHub for chowhub.com.ng
2. DIYlaw for diylaw.ng
3. Eazyhire for eazyhire.com.ng
4. Fast.ng for fast.ng
5. Intercore Solutions for intercoresolutions.com.ng
6. Jara for jara.ng
7. MinCommerce Solutions LTD for min.com.ng
8. Mobidoc for mobidoc.ng
9. ogaVenue for ogavenue.com.ng

 

10. Best Local Hosting Company

This award aims to continuously encourage the growth of local website hosting companies, in Nigeria. This award is presented to the best local hosting company in Nigeria.

Nominees

1. Galaxy Backbone for galaxybackbone.gov.ng
2. Garanntor Hosting Limited for garanntor.ng
3. MTN Business for mtnbusiness.com.ng
4. Spectranet for spectranet.com.ng
5. Web4africa Nigeria for web4africa.ng

THE .NG MEDIA AWARD

The .ng media Award recognizes excellence in journalism and other media-related activities; based on the level of local and original content promoted.  This award category consist of four award groups:

 

11. Best Print Media Website

Nominees

1. Leadership for leadership.ng
2. Media Trust Limited for dailytrust.com.ng
3. Nigerian Tribune for tribune.com.ng
4. The Daily Times for dailytimes.ng
5. The Guardian Nigeria for guardian.ng

 

12. Best Online Media Website Nominees

 

1. Cable Newspaper Limited for thecable.ng
2. CFAtech for techsmart.ng
3. Naij for naij.ng
4. News24 for news24.com.ng
5. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) for nan.ng
6. Nigeria Communications Week for nigeriacommunicationweek.com.ng
7. Ringier Media Nigeria Ltd for pulse.ng
8. Techpoint.ng for techpoint.ng
9. TODAY Digital News and Media Limited for today.ng

 

13. Best Electronic Media Website (Television)

Nominees

1. IROKO for iroko.ng
2. Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)for nta.ng

 

14 Best Electronic Media Website (Radio)

Nominees

1. Cool FM for coolfm.ng
2. Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria for radionigeria.gov.ng
3. Space FM90.1 for spacefm901.org.ng
4. Spectrum Broadcasting Ltd for hotfm.ng
5. Vision FM 92.1 for visionfmradio.ng
6. Voice of Nigeria for von.gov.ng

 

15. Most valuable Youth organization

This award is presented to the youth organization that advocates positive internet usage by Nigerian Youths.

Nominees

1. Jim Ovia Foundation for youthempowerment.org.ng
2. National Youth Service Corps for nysc.gov.ng
3. Nigeria Association of Computer Science Students (NACOSS) for nacoss.org.ng
4. N-Power for npower.gov.ng
5. Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative for yedi.ng

 

16. Public Sector Star Website Award

This award is presented to the best website/portal of the Local, State, Federal or Government Agency that provides the best user experience.

Nominees

1. Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for firs.gov.ng
2. Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (J.A.M.B) for jamb.gov.ng
3. National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for nigerianstat.gov.ng
4. Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for nigeriatradehub.gov.ng
5. Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for ncc.gov.ng
6. West African Examination Council (WAEC) for waeconline.org.ng

 

17. Digital innovation in Federal Government

This award recognizes the Federal Government that has invested in Technology to promote innovation and local content development.

Nominees

1. Bank Verification Number – initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria for bvn.com.ng
2. Federal Ministry of Finance – Whistleblowing Portal for whistle.finance.gov.ng
3. Federal Road Safety Commission for frsc.gov.ng

 

18. Digital innovation in State Government

This award recognizes the State Government that has invested in Technology to promote innovation and local content development.

Nominees

1. Cross River State for crossriverstate.gov.ng
2. Edo State for edostate.gov.ng
3. Enugu State for enugustate.gov.ng
4. Kaduna State for kdsg.gov.ng
5. Lagos State for lagosstate.gov.ng VI. Ogun State for ogunstate.gov.ng

 

19. Digital innovation in Local Government

This award recognizes the Local Government that has invested in Technology to promote innovation and local content development.

Nominees

1. Amuwo-odofin Local Government, Lagos State for amuwo-odofin.gov.ng ()
2. Egbedore local Government, Osun State for egbedore.os.gov.ng
3. Ejibo Local Government, Osun State for ejigbo.os.gov.ng
4. Eredo Local Government Lagos State for eredo.lg.gov.ng
5. Ibejulekki Local Government, Lagos State for ibejulekki.lg.gov.ng
6. Itesiwaju local Government, Oyo State for itesiwaju.oy.gov.ng

 

20. Making the Internet a safer place

This award recognizes the organization that has actively promoted the safe use of internet to help stimulate the safe, responsible and positive use of the Internet for Nigerians.

Nominees

1. Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN) for csean.org.ng
2. Eko-Konnect for eko-konnect.org.ng III. Information Security Society of Africa Nigeria (ISSAN) for issan.org.ng
3. Nigerian Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT) for cert.gov.ng
4. National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for nitda.gov.ng
5. Safe Internet for saferinternet.org.ng