Year In Review
Year In Review: Nigeria In 2018 On Connect Nigeria
People
Joe Blankson put the lives of 25 boat passengers before his own in a rescue mission that cost him his life on Thursday June 28, 2018.
Everyday Heroes: Blankson Dies After Rescuing 13 Drowning Boat Passengers
Nigerian kids dance group, Ikorodu Dream Catchers, got a surprise Easter visit from super model, Naomi Campbell.
A year long protest against the inhumane activities perpetrated by SARS operatives in the country came to a favorable end this year, thanks to this man, Segun Awosanya.
Meet Zannah Mustapha, the man who puts his life in danger everyday to cater for indigent children ravaged by Boko Haram crisis.
Meet Zannah Mustapha, The First Nigerian To Receive The United Nations’ Highest Honor
Njideka Akunyili-Crosby’s photo collage was bought for ₦1.2 billion.
Nigerian Artist, Njideka Akunyili-Crosby, Has Sold Her Artwork for ₦1.2 Billion
Aliko Dangote was named the world’s sixth most charitable person.
A Nigerian professor, Titus Ibekwe, was elected the Vice Chairman of the International Advisory Board (IAB) of the American Academy of Otorhinolaryngology.
Professor Titus Ibekwe Elected Vice-Chairman Of Int’l Advisory Board of American Academy
Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, won the 2018 Pen Pinter Award.
A Nigerian judge, Chile Eboe-Osuji was elected the president of the International Criminal Court in March 2018.
Sports
Anthony Joshua defeated Parker to become the unified heavyweight world champion.
Anthony Joshua Defeats Joseph Parker To Win Fourth World Title
That time the Super Eagles’ Jerseys sold out
NIKE Receives Over Three Million Orders For Eagles’s Jerseys
Though the Super Eagles could not come home with the World Cup, Ahmed Musa’s goal was awarded the 8th best goal of the tournament.
Asisat Oshoala won the CAF Women Player of the Year award.
Oshoala Wins Female Player Of the Year, Kanu, Okocha, Eguavoen In Legends XI
Aruna Quadri’s became the 20th best table tennis player in the world.
Blessing Okagbare was named University of Texas-El Paso’s all time best female athlete and inducted into the African Athletics Confederation Hall of Fame.
Super Falcons became nine-time African champions.
2018 AWCON: Super Falcons Defeat Bayana Bayana To Win 9th Title
Nigeria was at the Commonwealth Games.
Meet our Nigerian heroes at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
TECH
Nigeria’s foremost tech company, Andela, was bestowed the best company to work in Africa award.
Andela Nigeria Receives Award as Best Company to Work for In Africa
Tech companies, Tizeti, Paystack and Piggy Bank, secured major seed funding this year.
Fintech Startup Piggybank Has Secured $1.1 Million In Seed Funding
5 Junior secondary school girls from Anambra state went all the way to California and won the Technovation World Pitch.
Nigerian Girls Win Gold In Technovation World Pitch 2018 In California
Nigeria was named the fourth fastest growing developer community on Github, a web based version control and collaboration platform for software developers.
Nigeria Named the Fourth Fastest Growing Developer Community on GitHub
Ayotunde Coker joined the ranks of Nigerians doing the nation proud outside its borders with his appointment as the Secretary General of the African Data Center.
Ayotunde Coker Elected Secretary General Of African Data Centre Association
Meet the 12 year old Nigerian, Tomisin Ogunnubi, who built her first App at age 12.
Anyone Can Learn Coding: Tomisin Ogunnubi Built First Own Mobile App At 12
Google launched its Google Station service in Nigeria. The project which has already begun, will make high speed WiFi available to over 10 million Nigerians in major cities.
Google Station Has Launched Its Free Wi-Fi Service In Nigeria
Over 15,000 African developers benefited from the Andela Learning Community sponsored by Google.
Google Partners With Udacity and Andela To Train 15000 Developers in Africa
Google Impact Challenge Nigeria crowned three lucky winners.
Vetsark, 3 Other Startups Emerge Winners of Google Impact Challenge Nigeria
Chatbots are the new biggest thing in Nigeria, see our top five for 2018 here:
SMEs
Over 5,000 delegates turned up for Africa’s largest SME event organized by us:
OVER 5,000 BUSINESS DELEGATES ATTEND THE CONNECT NIGERIA E-BUSINESS FAIR 2018
100 businesses emerged winners of Connect Nigeria’s Top 100 Emerging SMEs in Nigeria. This is part of our commitment to empowering at least 1 million SMEs
Applause As Connect Nigeria Celebrates Top 100 Emerging SMEs!
Our top 100 winners gathered for a refreshing time with business analysts at the Stallion Plaza, Union Bank, to receive their awards and take the next step in their business development.
Connect Nigeria was awarded the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, 2018 Media Partner.
Connect Nigeria Awarded ‘NACC 2018 Media Partner Of The Year’
Oil and gas mogul and Aiteo founder, Benedict Peters, was named Africa’s oil and gas leader of the year by Forbes.
We revealed Nigeria’s leather industry to be worth ₦25 billion.
Entertainment
See Connect Nigeria’s top 5 new artistes of 2018.
See the Nigerian stars that took the stage at the world’s biggest music concert.
The Nigerian entertainers highly recognized by local and international bodies in the year 2018:
Davido And Emmanuella Nominated In The Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards
Davido Nominated For Future Awards Africa’s Young Person Of The Year
And then Tiwa Savage made Nigerian history with her sold-out UK show.
Star-Boy launched a new clothing line in New York.
AY and Omoni Oboli made their Hollywood debut in a Christmas themed animation, Elliot.
Banky W & Adesua among the most influential people in Africa.
Banky W And Adesua Etomi Among Most Influential People of African Descent
This year, the entertainment industry celebrated the life of Tosyn Bucknor, an OAP. All her life, the ‘Area Mama’ as she was fondly called by her radio fans, battled with sickle cell anemia. Her fight came to an abrupt end in November when a complication led to her death.
Politics
Meet the 2019 Presidential aspirants.
Nigerians had the opportunity to watch vice presidential candidates from five major parties slug it out in an open debate at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. The success of the session was proof that we can have a working system if we choose to vote rightly and sternly shun electoral misconduct.
Vice Presidential Debate 2019: Inching Towards Issue-Based Politics
Kaduna state declared free education for all female students in public Secondary Schools in the state.
Kaduna State Government Declare Free Tuition For Public Secondary School Girls
Kemi Adeosun, resigned from her national responsibilities as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance.
British Prime Minister, Theresa May, signed a security pact with Nigeria.
Meet the Entertainers currently in politics.
Banky W declared his intention to run for the Lagos Eti Osa Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
See reasons you should vote come 2019 general elections.
Events & Happenings
Lagos was home to Africa’s biggest runway fashion show for another year.
There was the Nack Interlude Shopping Party
And then LIPFEST returned to Lagos for another riveting series of artsy events.
Disruptive conversations were the order of the day at the TEDx Lagos event, held at Muson Centre, on the 18th of August 2018.
Tutu, a painting by late Nigerian modern art genius, Ben Enwonwu, which was believed to have been lost for good, resurfaced this year and made a brief return to Nigeria.
Tutu Painting Displayed In Nigeria For The First Time In 40 Years
Innovations
Nigerians changed the game with big transportation innovations this year.
And here’s how you can get ready for 2019:
Thank you for such a beautiful year. Let’s do it again!
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