Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigerian Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, former Nigerian Power Minister Bart Okechukwu Nnaji and Ughelli Power were some of the popular winners at the inaugural West African Power Industry Awards.

They were announced at the gala dinner of the West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC) on Tuesday at the Eko Hotel in Lagos.

Okonjo-Iweala won the award for Outstanding Woman in Power, while Prof Nnaji, now chairman of Geometric Power Limited, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Ughelli Power, owned by Tony Elumelu’s Transcorp Ughelli Power won the Power Transaction of the Year, after the company signed an agreement with General Electric to expand the capacity of the Ughelli plant by 1000MW over the next 3 to 5 years

The award for Best Rural Electrification Project was won by Solar Light Company, based in Ghana.

Quintas won Best Renewable Energy Project award. Quintas Renewable Energy Solutions is solving the challenge of access to grid energy in the Ofosu community of Ondo State, which lacks access to grid electricity, but has a strong local farming industry. The company plans to develop a 500 kilowatt biomass power plant which will take advantage of the community’s agricultural and forestry residue, including sawdust from the four sawmills in the area that currently rely on expensive diesel for power. The new power plant will include a steam turbine, generator, and gasifier with a combustor, and the electricity will be paid for through pre-paid meters.

ABB won the excellence in power transmission award, while Seven Energy went home with excellence in power generation award.

WAPIC programme director Irene Ochem congratulated all the winners.

“The judges had a difficult time choosing between all the worthy finalists. It is wonderful to see such inspiring developments that are happening in this region and that Nigeria is taking such a pioneering role. The power sector is not looking back anymore but rather forging ahead and pushing boundaries. This bodes well for the future of the West African region.”

More than 1000 power professionals are gathered in Lagos this week for the 11th edition of WAPIC where the latest updates on the Nigerian power industry’s privatisation and other opportunities in the regional energy sphere were discussed.

The conference ends today.

The awards evening were attended by leading executives from across the power, renewable energy, finance and investment spheres, and is considered a long overdue addition to what is the leading utility gathering of its kind in the region.
Industry support.

The 11th edition of this long running conference and expo is enjoying overwhelming support from the industry.

The global networking and telecommunications giant, Huawei, is the exclusive diamond sponsor for WAPIC. Other leading industry names such as the Nigerian IPP Genesis Electricity Limited (GEL) and Aiteo Power Generation and Distribution Company are the platinum sponsors for the event.

The West African Power Industry Convention is organised by Spintelligent, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, and the African office of Clarion Events Ltd, based in the UK.