This year’s Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards will hold in London on Wednesday July 17, 2013. The Awards, now in its 10th year, is put in place to encourage professionalism and journalistic excellence among business journalists in Africa.
Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, a Diageo Company, Mr. Seni Adetu explained that the aim of the Awards is to recognise and reward journalists who are providing the best coverage of business in Africa. According to him, the Awards have been sustained by Diageo’s belief that Africa, apart from being a unique place to do business, hosts some of the world’s most unique creative talents.
His words: “Africa is a different place and is home to some of the world’s best talent. In the 10 years of running these awards we have seen the emergence of some of the best business writers in the continent. This year in particular Nigeria has shone providing five finalists, the highest from a single country across Africa. We are proud of this development and are committed to ensuring that Nigeria is very well represented going forward.”
The organisers are optimistic that the Awards will continue to attract more investors to Africa by celebrating the professional excellence of journalists that script genuine stories on the African economy thereby drawing global attention to the opportunities in Africa.
“The Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards celebrate their achievements,” according to Adetu, because, “the Awards recognise the fact that more and better business journalism plays an important role in Africa’s investment flows. We believe that better and more accurate reporting generates more business interest on the continent.”
Categories in the awards include Best Information and Communication Technology (ICT) feature, Best Finance feature, Best Infrastructure feature, Best Tourism feature, Best Business News story, Best Newcomer, Media of the Year and Journalist of the Year amongst others.
In these 10 years, the Awards have impacted positively on the African continent by beaming it in good light across the world, attracting investors to Africa in the process. “Over the last decade, the strength and depth of reporting on business in Africa has increased significantly, and perceptions of Africa as an investment destination have changed for the better. Investors are taking Africa seriously and changing perceptions of Africa is an important step in improving the continent’s investment climate,” according to Managing Director.
Nominees have been formally notified and would be flown to and from London courtesy of the organisers. Mr. Adetu said that Diageo will continue to encourage the media in the bid for professional rendition of African business stories.
