12 Oct 2012

2012 Africa Com Awards Shortlist: See who’s making waves in the African Digi-sphere…


Africa Com Awards

We are pleased to announce the eagerly anticipated shortlist of contenders for the 2012 Africa Com Awards.

With a record number of entries, this year has seen stiff competition resulting in a larger field of nominees than ever before..


AfricaCom Awards’ Emily Martyr commented that competition was fierce this year with a record number of entries, up 60% on last year, which itself was a bumper year.
“The quality and number of entries into these awards is testament to the importance of this sector across Africa” she says.

South African judge, Bradley Shaw, the editor of Africa Telecoms magazine, also confirmed that
the tech economy and digi-sphere on the African continent is an exciting space to play in.  All of this year’s entries were outstanding and it has been a difficult task to select only a few per category.”

Looking at the shortlist, digital music has made a significant breakthrough and mobile money applications and solutions continue to dominate the arena as does the Orange Group who are a force to be recognised on the continent as can be seen from the number of nominations in the list below.  The expansion of the categories which cover a diverse array of technological touchpoints, is a reminder of just how fast the digital communications landscape is growing and its impact on our every-day lives.

This year also sees the prestigious new Industry Personality of the Year Award – an accolade that will see the best of the best compete shoulder to shoulder and rise as the star of Africa’s telecoms & media industry for 2012. One definitely not to miss – so watch this space.

Judging of the entries is conducted via a panel of international judges who assess the entries independently of one another, ensuring the process is equitable and fair.


Very many congratulations and good luck ! to all the nominees below:


Best Network Improvement
Airtel Nigeria – Airtel Nigeria
Helios Towers Africa – Shared Telecoms Infrastructure
Liquid Telecom – FTTH in Zimbabwe
Orange Group – Orange Cote d’Ivoire
Orange Group – Internet for All
ZTE – Network & Services


Most Innovative Service
Afrique Telecom – VSAT Services
BWired – Open Access Fibre Based ICT Network
Comviva – Airtel MVAS
Econet Wireless – EcoCash
Emerging Market Communications (EMC)
Intersec – Loyalty Management Suite
Orange Group – Deezer
Orange Group – Internet for All
Safaricom – M-PESA Retail Distribution Service
Spice VAS Africa – Music Scorer


Best Quality User Experience sponsored by MTN
Airtel – Airtel MVAS
Orange Group – Enhanced Mobile Browser
Orange Group – Orange Voices
Prezence Digital – Ster Kinekor Smart-Phone App
Sicap – Mobile Money ATM
Safaricom – USSD Self Service Internet Kiosk


Best Cost Efficiency Initiative
ACME / Reime – Energy Management Unit
AfriGIS – Census Progress Watch
Airtel Nigeria – Airtel Nigeria
Conduct Telecom – Last Mile Open Access Fibre Optic Infrastructure
IHS – Cost Efficiency Technology
Orange Group – Low Cost WiFi Hotspots
Safaricom Business – Safaricom Business
ZTE – ZTE Solution


Rural Telecoms Award
Gateway Communication – Mauritius Island Connectivity through CellDirect
Orange Group – Internet for All
Rorotika – SIM Swap
Safaricom – Webbox & USSD Internet Self-Service
Orange Group – Birth Registration
Viettel – Movitel Rural Network


Best Backhaul Solution for Africa
BWired – High Speed Fibre Based Network
Comtech EF Data – Mobile Mackhaul Solution
Dark Fibre Africa – Open Access Infrastructure Provider
Isocel Telecom – Benin Backhaul Network


Best Marketing Campaign
Etisalat Misr – Etisalat Misr Marketing
Mobitainment – Monsta Pops Mega Music Giveaway
MTC – NetMan 4G
Orange Group – Deezer
Prezence Digital – #Mandelastory
Warid Telecom – Kiyitridde


Best Smart-Device for Africasponsored by Gateway
Etisalat Misr – Smart Device
Orange Group – Internet on TV


Best Pan African Initiative
AFRINIC – AFRINIC
Gateway Communications – SADC Terrestrial Rollout
Helios Towers Africa – Infrastructure Sharing Energy Storage System
Sky Vision – Skyvision
Orange Group – West African Cluster Architecture
WIOCC – Seamless, High-Capacity International Connectivity Ring around Africa


The 2012 Mobile Data and Social Media Award
biNu – biNu Social Content Platform
Bozza Mobile – The Bozza.mobi App
Eskimi – Eskimi Mobile Social Network
Motribe – Motribe Mobile Social Networks
Mxit – Mxit
Prezence Digital – #Mandelastory


Industry Personality of the Year
Adiel Akplogan, AFRINIC
Alan Knott-Craig, Cell C
Andile Ngcaba, Convergence Partners
Karel Pienaar, MTN
Ben Sira, Sky Vision
Cheikh Tidiane Mbaye, Orange Group


Changing Lives Award sponsored by Comviva
Etisalat Misr – CSR Initiative ‘Origin’
Orange Group – Mobile Birth Declaration
Orange Group – Tele Diagnostics
Praekelt Foundation – YoungAfricaLive
Safaricom – DAKTARI-1525
Safaricom – Safaricom Business KimMNCHip Project



About AfricaCom Awards
The AfricaCom Awards celebrate and reward excellence in the African Telcoms, Media and ICT Market.  Now in its 5th year, the Awards ceremony is the high-point of the AfricaCom conference and exhibition.  www.africacomawards.com
For more information on how to enter or any other aspect please contact Louisa Rogers, Marketing Director on Louisa.rogers@informa.com or +44 (0) 207 017 5157

Official Charity





With thanks to our 2012 Africa Com Awards Sponsors:










About AfricaCom 2012
AfricaCom is Africa’s largest communications conference & exhibition.  Now in its 15th year, this trailblazing event gathers together 7,000 senior decision-makers from the telecoms, media and ICT industries.  This year a record 200+ speakers will share their vision of Africa’s future communications landscape and the agenda has expanded to incorporate 14 co-located events which will attract new audiences from the apps development, broadcast and business sectors. For more info see: www.comworldseries.com/africa

For further information or to request an interview with any of the shortlisted nominees, please contact:

Elize Engel or Kaz Henderson at Wired Communications
elize@wiredcommunications.co.za Kaz@wiredcommunications.co.za
Tel: +27 21 461 6764

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