Vanessa Obioha
Four Nigerian UK alumni emerged winners at the eighth edition of the UK Alumni Awards that was held recently at the Grand Ballroom of Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.
The award celebrates UK higher education and the achievements of UK alumni all over the world. This year, the award received more than 1,500 applications from international UK alumni in more than 100 countries, representing more than 140 higher education institutions across the UK.
In total, 12 UK alumni in four categories were recognised for their outstanding achievements as business professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders, and for their contribution to strengthening ties between the UK and Nigeria.
Recipients were selected for the four award categories: Science and Sustainability Award, Culture and Creativity Award, Social Action Award, and Business and Innovation Award.
The Science and Sustainability award was received by a graduate student of the University of Leeds, Sikiru Mohammed. Mohammed was rewarded for promoting engineering ethics in Nigeria and investing his time in STEM for youths to improve the high school education narrative.
Gift Chidera Peters, a graduate of the University of Portsmouth received the Culture and Creativity Award. She is the founder of the online platform CP Community — the outfit supports international students in the UK with the right information, resources leveraging a network of vibrant student communities to help them navigate life in the UK better, settle and ace their studies.
Currently, her platform boasts of over 11,000 student members from over seven countries in Africa including Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa.
The Social Action award was presented to Mariam Momodu, a graduate of the University of Cambridge. Momodu, a commercial lawyer, academic and social entrepreneur, is the founder of GetIn Education Consulting (GetIn), a social enterprise that democratises access to education-related opportunities for African students. GetIn has a reach of over 20,000 students and has helped Africans access over $2.5 million in scholarships.
In the final category, The Business and Innovation Award, Oluwafemi Adeola Adedipe, a graduate of the University of Southampton emerged as the winner. Oluwafemi is an entrepreneur focusing on financial access for underserved businesses across Nigeria’s informal sector.
He is the founder of StreetCred and Pistis Finserve, Pistis Sustainability Essay Competition as well as the Pistis Young Scholars Programme, a leadership development platform for high achieving students.
His companies have collectively provided more than N1 Billion (approx. $2.5 million) in loans to more than 10,000 women traders, artisans, and street vendors across Nigeria, serving customers from 34 business locations.
Commenting on the impact of UK alumni, Country Director at the British Council in Nigeria, Lucy Pearson said: “The remarkable individuals we celebrated today have all taken their UK education as a starting point to excel in their chosen careers and shape the world around them.
“This year’s awards ceremony is testimony not only to the diversity of UK alumni and their endeavours but also to the transformative impact of a UK education.”
Nigeria is one of the many countries hosting the awards this year, with awarding ceremonies in 23 countries, including India, Armenia and Qatar.
