The Minister of Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu, and Africa’s Serial Digital Entrepreneur, Leo Stan Ekeh, will headline the 2018 Nigerian Online Merit Award (NiOMA), the organisers said on Tuesday.

The high profile event is scheduled to hold at the Main Hall of Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, from 7pm on Friday, May 18, 2018.

“We are glad to announce that Honourable Minister for Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu, and Zinox Group Chairman, Leo Stan Ekeh, have graciously accepted to headline the 2018 NiOMA. While the Honourable Minister will serve as the Special Guest of Honour, ICT guru Leo Stan Ekeh will be the Guest Speaker. Both men will also be among those to be honoured on the night,” NiOMA Organising Committee Chairman, Mr. Lanre Alabi, said in a statement. He said that Mr. Ekeh would speak on the theme, “Leveraging the Internet Revolution to Leapfrog Nigeria’s Development”.

Mr. Alabi also disclosed that former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, would chair the event.

The occasion, according to the NiOMA Organising Committee Chairman, “will be used to X-ray topical ICT issues facing the nation. It will be a grand one as it will attract senior executives, top government functionaries, industry leaders, market analysts, professional groups and diverse economy sectoral leaders, among others.”

A brainchild of Nigeria’s leading daily online newspaper, News Express Nigeria (newsexpressngr.com), NiOMA is designed to celebrate outstanding individuals and corporates driving the Nigerian online revolution.