Broadcasting
Alex Okosi Named One Of UK’s Most Influential Black Persons For Second Year Running
Alex Okosi, one of Africa’s tech leaders, has been honoured as a member of the UK Powerlist 2023. Okosi, who is Managing Director, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA, received the honour for the second year running at the Black Excellence Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London on 28 October 2022.
Alex Okosi,
Awarded annually since 2007, The Powerlist, in partnership with J.P. Morgan, honours incredible men and women across a wide range of industries including business, science, technology and the arts. Each year it recognises and celebrates 100 of Britain’s most influential black people and showcases black role models to young people.
Open to Black Britons wherever they live in the world and to anyone in the UK who is black, The Powerlist is regarded as the leading authority on issues of black influence in the UK.
Commenting on The Powerlist Okosi said, “Growing up first in Nigeria and later in the USA in the mid-1980s, I found black role models were few and far between; I chose my role models from sportspeople and entertainers because those were the only black faces I saw in the media, in films, and on TV.
Fast forward to now, and I am beyond thrilled to see the incredible range of representation and diversity highlighted by the UK Powerlist 2023.
Recognising extraordinary leaders of African, Afro-Caribbean and African-American heritage, the list goes beyond sports and entertainment to encompass Management, Retail, the Arts, Finance, Tech, History, Academia, Fashion, Design, Politics, Law, Entrepreneurship, Social Investment and much more.
While the goal of equal representation is still a way off, I am thankful that my kids and your kids and their kids after them will have these shining role models and many more to inspire and lead them. Kudos to Michael Eboda, the Powerful Media team, J.P. Morgan and judges Dame Linda Dobbs, Tim Campbell, Dr Heather Melville, Ijeoma Okoli, Cecil Peters, Nicola Rollock, Matthew Ryder, Alwin Swales and Daniel Taylor for their involvement in this important initiative and for considering me worthy to be on the Powerlist for the second year running.”
Okosi is one of multiple black tech leaders making the Powerlist 2023, including Apple’s Ije Nwokorie, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE (CEO & Co-Founder, STEMettes), Nneka Abulokwe OBE, Founder and CEO, MicroMax Consulting, Rob Pierre (CEO, Jellyfish), Simon Hepburn (CEO, UK Cyber Security Council), Dr Claudia Natanson MBE (Chair, UK Cyber Security Council), Linda Morant (Chief Digital Officer, The Crown Estate).
Nigerian-born Okosi was first selected for the Powerlist in October 2021 after joining YouTube in 2020, following a long and illustrious career at Viacom International Media Networks Africa (now Paramount International Networks), where he introduced powerhouse entertainment brands like MTV Base, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and BET to the African continent.
A staunch champion of African creativity, culture and empowerment, Okosi was instrumental in persuading Viacom to introduce localised channel brands in Africa, starting with MTV Base in 2005. After moving to YouTube, he has continued to support initiatives that empower African creators and businesses via initiatives such as the Black Voices Fund.
He is a regular speaker on diversity and inclusion, and is an Executive member of the Google and YouTube committees that drive and deliver the brands’ racial equity commitments across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
This year’s Powerlist was headed by Dame Sharon White, Chair, John Lewis Partnership. Other well-known names on the list include actors Idris Elba (OBE), and David Kaluuya, grime artist and philanthropist Stormzy, politician and activist Lord Simon Wooley, and Royal ballet soloist Precious Adams.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched the NIMC Pre-Enrolment Portal to revolutionise the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process, enabling applicants within Nigeria and in the Diaspora to capture biodata online prior to biometric verification at enrolment centres.
NIMC
Accessible via penrol.nimc.gov.ng, the platform allows users to fill enrolment forms, schedule appointments, upload supporting documents securely, and manage personal details directly, thereby slashing congestion, minimising wait times, boosting data accuracy and enhancing overall service efficiency at centres nationwide.
NIMC Director-General and CEO, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, spearheaded the initiative as part of the Commission’s technology-driven strategy to fortify institutional performance, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that emphasises digital transformation, efficient public service delivery and inclusive national development.
Dr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted key benefits including simplified biodata handling, confidential data protection through robust security measures, reduced physical centre visits and heightened operational effectiveness, urging all prospective enrollees to adopt the portal for a faster, citizen-friendly experience.[conversation_history]
The move underscores NIMC’s mandate under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 to manage the National Identity Database, issue NINs and foster a reliable digital identity ecosystem vital for national planning, with users advised to complete pre-enrolment online before heading to selected centres for biometrics.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
Broadcasting
Davido, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Karl Toriola, Others To Be Honoured At The Most Influential People of African Descent Awards In Lagos
Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) is excited to announce the Lagos Diaspora Experience 2025, a week-long celebration of African art, culture, innovation, and connection, culminating in the End of the Year Awards & Celebration on Sunday, December 21st, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria.
The Most Influential People of African Descent Awards
This historic occasion marks the first time the world-famous Most Influential 100 Recognition & Awards Ceremony—traditionally held in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)—will be hosted in Lagos, Nigeria.
The week will feature events such as Diaspora Day at the Fela Exhibition (Afrobeat Meets Diaspora), Cultural Heritage Day, and Business Leadership Luncheons, all culminating in the awards celebration.
The evening will honor the Best & Brightest of the Year, recognizing exceptional individuals and institutions whose work has advanced Global African Achievement and Black Excellence across business, government, media, culture, and technology.
Key Recognitions for 2025
– Governor of the Year & City of the Year: His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, honored alongside Lagos as City of the Year for its global leadership in culture, innovation, tourism, and diaspora engagement.
– Her Excellency Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, will be honoured as Minister of the Year for her contribution to the creative economy’s role in nation branding and cultural diplomacy.
– Most Influential Woman of the Year: Olorì Atúwàtse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom
– Most Influential Man of the Year: Adewale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, OANDO
– CEO of the Year: Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria; who will deliver a keynote address, recognized for his transformative leadership and impact on Nigeria’s telecommunications and digital economy.
Others include; Karl Toriola of MTN as CEO of the year, Uche Pedro of Bella Naija as Lifestyle Personality Of The Year, Ojy Okpe of Artise News as Most Influential News Anchor Of The Year, Stephanie Busari as Media Executive of the Year, Kayode Okikiolu as Pressman of the year, Davido as Artist of the year and several others.
In celebrating this year’s honorees, Michael Ehindero, Managing Director, Pernod Ricard Nigeria, owners of Martell Cognac, who emerged as Brand Of The Year expressed deep appreciation for the brand’s continued global recognition, saying: “It’s a great reward for the team who’s delivered Martell excellently in Nigeria over the years.
“We say thank you to the teams, we say thank you to our consumers and we say thank you to MIPAD.
“Martell has a lot of promising experiences in the years to come in Nigeria and with this we invite you over to Nigeria to experience Detty December”.
The ceremony will also celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2025 Honorees, alongside past Nigerian honorees who were unable to attend their year of recognition in New York.
“For the first time, we’re bringing our world-famous recognition platform home to celebrate excellence within the Global Africa Family — right here in Lagos,” said Kamil Olufowobi, Founder & Chairman of MIPAD. “This is more than an event; it’s a movement uniting the best of us — connecting, collaborating, and working together to change the world.”
Event Details
📍 Lagos, Nigeria
– Friday, Dec 19 – #DettyDec Diaspora Day at Fela Exhibition FREE
– Sunday, Dec 21 – End of Year Recognition & Award Ceremony STRICTLY BY INVITATION
🎟️ RSVP: https://rsvp.oakenevents.com/mipad
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