Celebrating Excellence in Innovation: The Prestigious Product Innovation Excellence Award

By Tunde Aliyu

The undeniable growth and potential of the sphere of product management has necessitated recognition. This need birthed The Product Innovation Excellence Award by Tech Trailblazer, in Nigeria.

This prestigious award showcases exceptional skills, brilliance, and undeniable leadership contributions in the sphere of product management and the general technology community.

The individuals selected to be bestowed these honors are simply excellent and nothing less.
 
The Award promotes ingenuity, while rewarding top product management executives and leaders who have taken giant strides to develop product-driven technology with meaningful impact in the industry.

By honoring remarkable achievements, this accolade fosters innovations, sets high standards, and facilitates a continuous chain of improvement within the industry.
 
Reaching the top of one’s career is a rare achievement, and winning an award like the Product Innovation Excellence Award is proof that a product manager is one of the top leading professionals impacting the technology landscape in Nigeria.

It signifies not just a personal victory but also the recognition of one’s contribution to advancing the industry. The award places recipients among an elite group of product-driven innovators who have demonstrated exceptional talent and leadership in their fields.
 
At the core of this esteemed award platform lies the distinguished members of the selection committee, each renowned for their expertise and outstanding contributions to the profession. The selection committee comprises a panel of influential professionals, including:
 

• Dr. Adaobi Eze – Chief Product Officer, Center for Technology Innovative Solutions
• Prof. Ibrahim Lawal – Vice President of Product Strategy, Institute of Standards and Technology
• Engr. Fatima Bello – Director of Strategy, Product Development Initiative
• Dr. Yusuf Mohammed – Director of Product Strategy, Lagos Innovations Board
• Dr. Zainab Ibrahim – Head of Product Innovation Research, Nigerian Institute of Technology and Design (NITD).
   
  From the pool of submissions, the selection committee identifies the top nominees whose accomplishments and influence in the industry are particularly notable. These nominees encompass a variety of backgrounds and expertise within the field. Following this, a voting process is initiated, enabling committee members and other stakeholders to vote for the most deserving candidate.
   
  These seasoned product and technology experts play a crucial role in carefully analyzing nominees and applicants, to select the most deserving recipient of the award from over 100 product managers and professionals who were nominated for the award. There are arguably about 100,000 – 150,000 product managers and product professionals in Nigeria, and this award is open to all annually through an application, nomination, and voting process. Only one individual emerges as the winner in a particular year.
   
  The past awardees have been visionary individuals who have made notable contributions to the field of product management. This clearly affirms the heritage of excellence that the award seeks to establish. Past recipients of this prestigious award for the past years include some of the top leading product managers:
   
  Chika Eze – Product Lead at ZenithTech Innovations (Winner of Product Innovation Excellence Award 2023)
  Martin Ilesanmi: Senior Product Manager at Microsoft (Winner of Product Innovation Excellence Award 2022)
  Louisa Ojo: Head of Product Management at Walng (Winner of Product Innovation Excellence Award 2021)
  Ibrahim Ojomu – Senior Product Manager (Winner of Product Innovation Excellence Award 2020)
  Toyyibat Yussuph: Senior Product Manager at Evolvehive (Winner of Product Innovation Excellence Award 2019)
  Emmanuel Okoli: Chief Product Officer at Infinity Tech Solutions. (Winner of Product Innovation Excellence Award 2018)
  Hossana Oyibo: Head of Product Strategy at SAFRA. (Winner of Product Innovation Excellence Award 2017)
   
  These innovators have not only expanded the boundaries of product management but have also inspired others to strive for excellence in their respective fields.
   
  The Award ceremony has evolved into a highly anticipated event, garnering widespread national and regional recognition and attracting an illustrious array of dignitaries and industry luminaries. From its inaugural year, where it was graced by the presence of notable figures such as the Governor of Lagos State, HRH Sanusi Lamudo Sanusi, former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, to subsequent editions attended by esteemed guests including the CEO of Big Cabal Media, Former CEO of Stanbic IBTC Bank, among others, the event has become an earmarked event of the industry calendar.
   
  The essence of the award ceremony has transcended mere recognition, paving the way for regional and cross-national collaborations with leading institutions such as the Africa Product Solutions Innovation Consortium. Additionally, the event has secured sponsorship from prestigious organizations including Andela, Dangote, GTCO, and others. These partnerships validate the widespread industry support and endorsement of the award’s significance within the product community, solidifying its reputation as a pinnacle of excellence in the field.