On a radiant Saturday, the 22nd of November, 2014, the inaugural Nigerian DotCom Awards took center stage, gracing the Protea Hotel, situated in the vibrant Lekki area. Dignitaries and key players from diverse sectors of the burgeoning Internet Economy took home accolades spanning over thirty categories, marking a breakthrough in the recognition of digital excellence in the country.
The reward ceremony was staged by the American Internet Business School in an impactful collaboration with Afrinet Business Solutions. This pioneering endeavor had an aim as grand as its scope; to laud those individuals and organizations who have navigated uncharted territories, broadening the horizons of the Nigerian online market, and in effect, steering the ever-evolving dotcom economy of Nigeria.
Dr. Ope Banwo, the dynamic Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Afrinet Business Solutions, boldly outlined their unique approach: “We feel that one of the ways to develop internet business in Africa is to start to recognize people who are doing great in internet business. Thus, we organized the first dot.com awards in Africa, aptly named The Nigeria dot.com awards.” He said.
In a thrilling showcase of talent, each award highlighted the respective winners’ exceptional contributions to the furtherance of Nigeria’s growth. Recipients of the popular choice (voting) category included the immensely popular Linda Ikeji for BEST ENTERTAINMENT/GOSSIP BLOG, VoguePay for its outstanding BEST INTERNET PAYMENT PLATFORM, GTBank, which bagged the award for BEST BANK ON THE INTERNET, Jumia for BEST ECOMMERCE WEBSITE, and last but not least, the Lagos State Government for their exemplary efforts in BEST USE OF INTERNET BY STATE GOVERNMENT.
VoguePay’s Director of Compliance and Marketing, Geoffrey WeliWosu, praised the initiative, stating, “This initiative is commendable and we are honored to receive this recognition from Afrinet Business Solutions and American Internet Business School.” Ojikutu Quam, the Director of Administration and Management for VoguePay, claimed their triumph reflected the Company’s unwavering commitment to delivering stellar service to its Merchants. He professed an optimistic outlook promising that 2015 would carry even more exciting prospects, as they geared up to redefine the landscape of payment processing in Nigeria.
Afrinet Business Solutions extended their hearty congratulations to the best of the web in Nigeria, expressing their gratitude to everyone who helped ensure the success of this historic event. The Nigerian DOTCOM Awards, a joint effort by American Internet Business School and Afrinet Business Solutions, heralds a new chapter in recognizing digital innovation.
This article was updated in 2025 to reflect modern realities.
Paul Balo is the founder of TechBooky and a highly skilled wireless communications professional with a strong background in cloud computing, offering extensive experience in designing, implementing, and managing wireless communication systems.
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