Gender inclusion takes centre stage as Air Peace, TAJ Bank, and Viva win at maiden Cleaners Network Awards

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

Nigeria’s cleaning industry received its most significant moment of recognition yet as the first edition of the Cleaners Network Awards, organised by the Professional Environmental Cleaners Network of Africa, honoured standout organisations and amplified fresh conversations about gender equality in a sector dominated by women but rarely acknowledged.

The event celebrated excellence across banks, airlines and manufacturing. TAJ Bank was named the cleanest bank in the country, Air Peace received the award for cleanest airline, and Viva was recognised as the best detergent brand. Yet, according to organisers, the deeper message of the night went beyond trophies.

The President of PECNA noted that the ceremony aimed to validate the labour of thousands of cleaners across Nigeria, many of whom are women working in low visibility roles with limited career progression.

He said the awards were designed to challenge outdated perceptions and to “push forward new stories, new standards and a new respect for the people who consistently protect public health.”

Gender representation was a recurring theme throughout the evening as speakers highlighted the need for fairer wages, improved safety conditions and broader leadership opportunities for women in the sector.

The Registrar of the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria, Dr Yakubu Mohammed Baba, received the Public Servant of the Year award.

He praised cleaners as “unsung superheroes working behind the scenes,” reaffirming that their contribution to national hygiene is indispensable.

Dr Baba expressed EHCON’s readiness to partner with PECNA to strengthen regulation and raise awareness about the sector’s importance.

He also commended PECNA’s leadership for elevating a profession where women form a substantial share of the workforce but remain significantly under-recognised.

The awards, he said, mark a turning point in validating the people whose daily work keeps public spaces safe, healthy and functioning.