The 2025 edition of the Africa Technology & Excellence (ATAEx) Awards lit up the continent as innovators, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders were celebrated for their groundbreaking contributions.
The Africa Tech Alliance Excellence (ATAEx) is a prestigious recognition platform that celebrates innovation, leadership, and digital excellence across Africa’s technology, fintech, telecommunications, amongst other ecosystems.
Held as part of the Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH 5.0), the ATAEx Awards honour individuals, organisations, and initiatives that are redefining Africa’s digital future through creativity, resilience, and impact.
Each award recipient is celebrated not only for their achievements but also for their vision, ethical leadership, and commitment to leveraging technology for Africa’s sustainable development.
The ATAEx Awards continue to amplify Africa’s boldest innovators, the thinkers, builders, and change-makers shaping the continent’s digital independence in the AI era.
ATAEx Man of the Year 2025 – Prof. Obadare Peter Adewale
Celebrated for his unmatched contributions to Africa’s digital trust and cybersecurity landscape, Prof. Obadare Peter Adewale emerged as the ATAEx Man of the Year 2025; a recognition of his leadership, innovation, and lifelong commitment to advancing the continent’s digital transformation agenda.
As the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Digital Encode Limited, Prof. Obadare has consistently demonstrated excellence in digital security, governance, and risk compliance.
His pioneering achievements include being the first PECB Certified Data Protection Officer in Nigeria, first EC-Council Licensed Penetration Tester in Africa, and first Global PECB Certified Digital Transformation Officer.
ATAEx Technology Personality of the Year Award 2025 – Mr. George Agu
George Agu stands as a distinguished technology leader and entrepreneur whose impact on Africa’s digital transformation spans over two decades and five countries.
His visionary leadership, deep technical expertise, and passion for innovation have positioned him among the continent’s most respected voices in the IT and business landscape.
ATAEx Digital Transformation Leadership Award 2025 – Muhammed Rudman
Muhammed Rudman is a visionary technology leader and the pioneer Chief Executive Officer of the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Nigeria’s first and only neutral Internet Exchange Point.
Before leading IXPN, Rudman worked with Galaxy IT & T Limited, where he oversaw major projects including rural telephony deployments, broadband wireless networks, and VSAT-based Wide Area Networks across Nigeria and parts of West Africa.
Under his leadership, IXPN has evolved into a vital Internet infrastructure hub, improving connectivity, reducing bandwidth costs, and strengthening local Internet traffic exchange
ATAEx Fintech Leadership Personality of the Year 2025 – Dr. (Mrs.) Ebehijie Momoh
Dr. Momoh is a seasoned business executive and fintech leader currently serving as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of AfriGOPay Financial Services Ltd. (AFSL), a pioneering Nigerian company driving indigenous digital payment solutions.
Under her leadership, AfriGOPay has emerged as a key player in Africa’s payment landscape, providing secure, efficient, and locally relevant financial technology infrastructure that promotes inclusion and innovation.
ATAEx Lifetime Achievement Award in Data Centre Management (2025)
Engineer Ikechukwu Nnamani, CEO of Digital Realty (Nigeria), is a groundbreaker in Africa’s digital infrastructure landscape and a driving force behind Nigeria’s data centre evolution.
Through visionary leadership, he has built one of West Africa’s most interconnected facilities, a critical hub for Internet exchange and submarine cable interconnection.
ATAEx Cybersecurity Personality of the Year 2025 – Happiness Obioha
Happiness Obioha is a highly respected cybersecurity professional and technology entrepreneur, serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Tizel Cybersecurity, a fast-rising firm dedicated to protecting digital assets and strengthening cyber resilience across Africa.
With years of hands-on experience in information security, risk management, and digital forensics, she has distinguished herself as a thought leader and advocate for data protection, cyber awareness, and enterprise security transformation.
Other awardees;
ATAEx Blockchain Advocate of the Year – CHUKWUEMEKA ENOCH MBAEBIE; ATAEx AI Leadership in Business Transformation Award – JOHN ITODO; ATAEx ICT Innovation Storyteller Award – SAMSON AKINTARO, News Editor, Nairametrics; and ATAEx Digital Reporting Excellence Award – JOAN AIMUENGHEUWA, Managing Editor, Techeconomy.
Others are ATAEx National Fintech Achievement Award – AfriGO Pay Financial Services Ltd., ATAEx Outstanding AI & Cloud Transformation Personality of the Year – Olusoji Solomon Adeyemo; ATAEx Personal Branding & Digital Influence Award – Chidi Okpala; Emerging Nigerian Literary Voice of the Year (Literature Category) – Oluwatosin Emmanuel Akinrinde.
The following companies also received the 2025 ATAEx Awards:
ATAEx PR Champion of Africa Award – SKOT COMMUNICATIONS; ATAEx Best Curved Display Smartphone Under ₦300,000 – itel; ATAEx Champion of Digital infrastructure Award – DIGITAL REALTY (NIGERIA); ATAEx Internet Exchange Point Excellence – INTERNET EXCHANGE POINT OF NIGERIA [IXPN]; ATAEx ICT Company of the Year – ActivEdge Technologies Ltd; ATAEx Cybersecurity Company of the Year – Digital Encode Limited; ATAEx Digital Trust & Security Excellence Award– TIZEL CYBERSECURITY; ATAEx Tech Hardware Innovation Award – Tecom Concepts Limited; ATAEx Excellence in Regulatory Innovation Award – Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Other categories include – Mobile App Defense Excellence Award; AI Startup of the Year; Outstanding Technology Law Practitioner of the Year; Tech Visionary Award; Global Technology Innovator Award; Rising Star in Tech Award; Excellence in Supply Chain Analytics of the Year Award; Business Intelligence Mastery Award; Smart Construction Innovator of the Year Award, and Ed-Tech Trailblazer Award.
