Nigerian creators have emerged dominant at the 2025 TikTok Awards for Sub-Saharan Africa, winning six of the ten categories at the ceremony held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

TikTok Sub-Saharan Africa Awards

The awards, themed “New Era, New Icons”, celebrated outstanding creativity across the continent, with Nigeria’s victories underscoring its growing influence in digital culture and entertainment.

Raja’atu Muhammed Ibrahim, known as @diaryofanortherncook, from Sokoto, won the prestigious Creator of the Year Award, recognised for her cinematic storytelling of Northern Nigerian cuisine. Abuja-based Brian Nwana (@briannwana) clinched Storyteller of the Year, while Izzi Boye (@izziboye) was named Education Creator of the Year.

Other Nigerian winners included Belove Olocha (@beloveolocha) for Entertainment Creator of the Year, Dejoke Ogunbiyi (@noositiwantiwa_) for Social Impact Creator of the Year, and Crown Uzama, popularly known as Shallipopi (@theycallmeshallipopipp), who took home Artist of the Year.

Shallipopi, whose hit track “Laho” dominated African soundwaves in 2025, thanked TikTok for supporting upcoming artists and providing a platform to shine. “When Nigeria creates, the world moves,” he told fans during his acceptance speech.

TikTok’s Head of Content Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa, Boniswa Sidwaba, praised the winners, noting that Nigerian creators had redefined what it means to be a digital storyteller. “Tonight’s ceremony was a gathering of trailblazers who turned short video clips into cultural movements,” she said.

Other winners from across the continent included Tanzania’s Fanuel John Masamaki (@zerobrainer0), who won Video of the Year, Kenya’s @tunero_animations as Rising Star of the Year, South Africa’s @malumfoodie for Food Creator of the Year, and Kenya’s @zozasportscast for Sports Creator of the Year.

The ceremony, supported by brands such as NIVEA, Coca-Cola, PEP, inDrive and Dis-Chem, will be broadcast exclusively on TikTok LIVE on Dec. 11 at 19:00 WAT via the @tiktok.africa account.

MTN Nigeria has announced the winners of the 2025 Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge, a national innovation programme delivered in partnership with Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) through its local partner, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria.

L – R: Promise Ogochukwu, OneGrid Energies; Emmanuel Ezea, OneGrid Energies, Lantana Elhassan, Head of Exploration, Accelerator Lab, UNDP Nigeria; Valentine Nnamani, OneGrid Energies; trio winner of the MTN 2025 Pachipanda Challenge, held at MTN RoofTop Plaza, Ikoyi.

The competition attracted over 2000 applications from young innovators across the country and concluded with a 3-day sprint event that featured masterclasses and pitch presentations at the MTN Rooftop Event Centre, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos. Ten finalists, comprising seven individuals and three teams, competed for top honours following a rigorous multi-stage screening process.

Team OneGrid Energies emerged overall winner for its solution that addresses energy access in underserved communities. The team of Emmanuel Ezea, Ogochukwu Ogene, and Valentine Nnamani upcycle plastic bottles and e-waste lithium ion batteries to create affordable lanterns for households without reliable electricity. The team also introduced smart solar-powered charging stations operated by rural women, creating economic opportunities and supporting environmental impact.

Joshua Ndaman secured second place with his innovative solution, BuyScrap, a tech-driven platform that streamlines the collection and recycling of electronic waste. By ensuring that discarded electronics are ethically reused and repurposed, BuyScrap supports a circular economy and provides a reliable link between households and processors in the e-waste value chain.

Divine Peter secured third place with HopeForge Engineering, an initiative that designs and produces affordable recycling equipment for green businesses using recyclable materials. His focus on automating traditional manual equipment aims to increase productivity and make sustainable tools more accessible for small and medium-sized enterpriOlayinkases.

The winners received ₦3,000,000, ₦2,000,000, and ₦1,500,000 respectively. They will now represent Nigeria at the Africa PachiPanda Challenge where they will compete against champions from across the continent.

Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Nigeria, emphasised the importance of youth-led innovation in advancing climate action and community resilience. “Innovation should go beyond solving problems; it should be bankable and sustainable, ensuring long-term value for both society and the innovators themselves,” he noted.

Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director-General of NCF, praised the creativity of the finalists, stating, “Every finalist here is a winner, and we will continue to work with partners like MTN, UNDP, and WWF to nurture these ideas and build a better future for Nigeria.”

Representing UNDP Nigeria, Lantana Elhassan, Head of Exploration, Accelerator Lab, described the potential of the finalists’ solutions to inspire systemic change across Africa’s innovation landscape. She highlighted the role of tech tools in helping participants improve their prototypes and scale their solutions.

During the event week, finalists received tailored training through masterclass sessions that enhance their business skills and strengthened their solutions. Facilitators included Bankole Oloruntoba, CEO, Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC); Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder & CEO, Instollar; Nifemi Oluboyede, Chief Product Officer, Credit Direct; and Uche Aniche, Founder, Rebel Seed Capital & Convener, Startup South.

Judges comprised experts in sustainability and innovation including Dr. Tiwalade Adeniyi, Head of ESG, Solon; Dr. William Tsuma, Chief Innovation Officer, UNDP Nigeria; Maximus Ugwuoke, Country Director, Carbon Craft Africa; Peju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation; Temitope Okunnu, Founder, Fabe International; and Yewande Adeyi, Senior Manager, ESG Advisory Services, KPMG West Africa.

The Africa-wide finals will bring together leading innovators from across the continent to showcase their work to industry experts and investors.

For more information and updates on the winners’ journey, visit https://www.mtn.ng/sustainability or contact [email protected]

Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, chief executive officer, Digital Realty Nigeria, says the country currently has no data centres designed for core Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications despite the presence of over 300 AI firms operating locally.

Engr.Nnamani

Nnamani made the disclosure at the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) Breakfast with CEOs in Lagos, stressing that AI is driving the next phase of digital evolution but Nigeria’s facilities remain unprepared for its intensive demands.

“There’s no data centre in Nigeria that is AI ready. None,” he said, noting that while cloud services exist, core AI infrastructure is absent, forcing local companies to rely on foreign resources.

He projected that AI-enabled data centres could emerge in two to three years through global players such as Digital Realty, citing its South African subsidiary, Teraco, which operates Africa’s largest facility.

He explained that one Teraco site exceeds the combined capacity of all Nigerian data centres and has already implemented liquid-cooled AI-ready infrastructure.

On national capacity, Nnamani revealed that Nigeria lags behind cities such as Toronto, Cape Town and London, with most facilities concentrated in Lagos. He said active IT loads in Nigeria are often just one to two megawatts despite larger design claims.

According to him, true metrics should be based on “active IT load” figures, not potential capacity. He estimated construction costs at between 10 and 15 million dollars per megawatt, noting that private firms rarely disclose totals.

Current installed capacity stands at 56.1 megawatts in 2025, projected to reach 218 megawatts by 2030, but distribution remains skewed.

Nnamani warned that the imbalance risks latency, uptime failures and poor user experience for non-Lagos users due to fibre vulnerabilities.

He advocated at least two data centres per state capital — about 72 to 74 nationwide — alongside transmission networks and content growth to support digital economy goals.

He described power shortages as opportunities, despite dedicated plants costing about one million dollars per megawatt.

Highlighting Digital Realty’s milestones since acquiring Medallion Communications in 2021 and rebranding in 2023, Nnamani said the company had invested in roads and power feeds for the 2Africa submarine cable site in Lekki.

He added that the project had created jobs, training opportunities and housing growth in the area, with hyper-scale AI facilities planned ahead.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, Chairman, Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) has lauded Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani for his transformative contributions to Nigeria’s ICT sector, describing him as a beacon of innovation and digital excellence.

He praised Nnamani’s pioneering work in data center infrastructure, noting that his initiatives have significantly elevated the country’s technological framework.

Onwuegbuchi highlighted Nnamani’s recent recognition as Data Center Leader of the Year, calling it a testament to his unwavering commitment to advancing Nigeria’s digital economy.

Nnamani, who served as the keynote guest at the event, delivered a pre-recorded video presentation before engaging participants in a dynamic question-and-answer session.

His appearance, according to Onwuegbuchi, is set to become an annual tradition, underscoring his dedication to mentoring and guiding the ICT community.

“This is the kind of leadership that inspires confidence in Nigeria’s digital future,” Onwuegbuchi remarked, urging stakeholders to emulate Nnamani’s innovative spirit and commitment to excellence.

The event marked another milestone in NITRA’s ongoing efforts to foster collaboration and strategic development among ICT professionals nationwide, reinforcing the association’s role as a catalyst for growth in Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.