Olufunke Anthonia Ogunlana Honoured as Outstanding IT Support Professional of the Year at Crest Africa Awards 2024

By Tolulope Oke

Technology support professionals often work behind the scenes, ensuring that critical systems remain functional, customers receive timely assistance, and organisations continue operating efficiently. In recognition of her contributions to the technology support sector, Olufunke Anthonia Ogunlana has been named Outstanding IT Support Professional of the Year at the Crest Africa Awards 2024.

The recognition celebrates her achievements in application support, service desk operations, incident management, customer-focused technical support, and her growing impact within both the technology industry and community development initiatives. The award was presented as part of Crest Africa’s commitment to recognising African professionals whose work continues to drive excellence, innovation, and positive change across industries.

With more than a decade of experience spanning Nigeria and the United Kingdom, Olufunke has built a career distinguished by technical competence, operational excellence, and a consistent commitment to delivering high-quality support services. Her professional journey has taken her through various roles in application support, incident coordination, service delivery, customer operations, e-commerce, and business administration, providing her with a broad perspective on how technology enables organisational success.

Currently serving as an Application Support Technician at Lookers, she plays a critical role in supporting customers, resolving complex technical issues, managing incidents, and ensuring seamless communication between users and technical teams. Her work includes providing second-line technical support, conducting investigations into system issues, managing customer communications, and collaborating with both internal and external stakeholders to deliver timely solutions.

Reacting to the recognition, Olufunke expressed appreciation for the honour and reflected on the importance of service excellence within the technology industry.

“I am truly honoured to receive this recognition from Crest Africa. Technology support is often about solving problems that people may never see, but those solutions make a significant difference to businesses and individuals every day. This award encourages me to continue learning, growing, and contributing positively to the industry.”

Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Olufunke has also demonstrated a commitment to community impact. Through her involvement with Cleaner and Healthier Nature Initiative (CLAHN Initiative), she contributes to projects focused on environmental sustainability and public health awareness. She also supports digital literacy efforts by teaching basic computer skills to children within her community, helping young learners gain confidence in technology.

Speaking on the selection, the Crest Africa Awards Panel noted that Olufunke’s profile stood out because of her ability to combine technical expertise with strong customer service, stakeholder management, and community engagement.

“Olufunke Anthonia Olufunke represents the kind of professional excellence that drives meaningful impact within organisations and communities. Her dedication to service delivery, continuous learning, and people-focused technology support reflects the values this recognition seeks to celebrate.”

Her career journey has included roles with organisations such as Magentus, Lookers Motor Group, Mitie Technical Services, Tek Experts, MSME Exchange, Jumia, and Konga. Across these positions, she has consistently demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to solving complex challenges while supporting both customers and business objectives.

For Crest Africa, Olufunke’s recognition serves as a celebration of the often-unsung professionals whose contributions help businesses, institutions, and communities thrive in an increasingly digital world. Her journey reflects the growing importance of technology support professionals who work behind the scenes to keep critical systems running, solve complex challenges, and create better experiences for users and organisations alike