DIGITAL NIGERIA HONOURS · NOMINATION STANDARD

Category Rules
& Jury Criteria.

Each category is assessed on eligibility, documented evidence and measurable impact. Nominees are not selected by popularity. All nominations require at least two supporting documents.

Professional nominations All categories

DNH/01

AI Innovation of the Year

Nomination access: Professional portal
Who can be nominated: Nigerian organisations with a production AI, machine-learning or automated system deployed within the last 24 months.
Jury assessment: Technical originality; measurable socio-economic impact; Nigerian relevance; ethical design; sustainability.

DNH/02

Startup of the Year

Nomination access: Public + professional
Who can be nominated: Nigeria-founded technology startups or scaleups demonstrating product-market fit, growth and sustainable potential.
Jury assessment: User, revenue and retention evidence; capital efficiency; jobs created; innovation; expansion readiness.

DNH/03

Corporate Digital Transformation of the Year

Nomination access: Professional portal
Who can be nominated: Nigeria-registered established organisations with a material transformation programme delivered within the last 36 months.
Jury assessment: Transformation scale; measurable business impact; architecture quality; change management; institutional sustainability.

DNH/04

Digital Infrastructure Award

Nomination access: Professional portal
Who can be nominated: Organisations expanding Nigeria’s connectivity, data-centre, cloud, fibre, satellite or last-mile infrastructure within the last 36 months.
Jury assessment: Coverage, capacity and speed; national connectivity impact; delivery innovation; commercial sustainability; broadband contribution.

DNH/05

FinTech Innovation of the Year

Nomination access: Professional portal
Who can be nominated: Nigeria-founded or headquartered fintechs with a recent product or milestone advancing financial access or efficiency.
Jury assessment: Innovation; inclusion impact; adoption scale; regulatory alignment; sustainability.

DNH/06

Digital Government Initiative of the Year

Nomination access: Professional portal
Who can be nominated: Federal or State public institutions with a digital service or programme delivering measurable citizen impact within the last 24 months.
Jury assessment: Citizen outcomes; scale; innovation; adoption; replicability.

DNH/07

Technology Leader of the Year

Nomination access: Professional portal
Who can be nominated: Active Nigerian CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, Chief Digital Officers, Heads of AI or equivalent executives with recent transformational impact.
Jury assessment: Vision and execution; talent development; innovation; measurable organisational impact; peer standing.

DNH/08

Young Digital Leader of the Year (Under 35)

Nomination access: Public + professional
Who can be nominated: Nigerian technology professionals aged 35 or below at nomination with demonstrable impact.
Jury assessment: Impact relative to career stage; innovation; leadership; measurable outcomes; future potential.

DNH/09

Digital Inclusion Champion

Nomination access: Public + professional
Who can be nominated: Organisations or initiatives bringing underserved communities into the digital economy.
Jury assessment: Specificity of inclusion focus; scale; beneficiary outcomes; sustainability; innovation.

DNH/10

Digital Education & Skills Champion

Nomination access: Professional portal
Who can be nominated: Institutions, EdTechs, training organisations or educators delivering measurable digital-skills outcomes.
Jury assessment: Reach; curriculum rigour; learner outcomes; delivery innovation; sustainability.

DNH/11

Media & Digital Content Award

Nomination access: Public + professional
Who can be nominated: Technology media, digital platforms, broadcasters, journalists or creators advancing technology understanding in the last 24 months.
Jury assessment: Reach; accuracy and depth; policy or public impact; format innovation; contribution to digital literacy.

DNH/12

International Digital Partner of the Year

Nomination access: Professional portal
Who can be nominated: International organisations with sustained, documented investment in Nigeria’s digital transformation within the last 24 months.
Jury assessment: Commitment depth; Nigerian capacity impact; partnership quality; policy contribution; knowledge-transfer legacy.

Evaluation framework: Jurors use a 100-point scorecard covering evidence, innovation, impact, scale, and relevance. A professional-entry weighting applies during Secretariat shortlisting only.

Official results →

Category Rules& Jury Criteria.