The Phillips Consulting (pcl.) Digital Jurist Awards 2024 celebrates digital excellence

The highly anticipated Phillips Consulting (pcl.) Digital Jurist Awards 2024 took place at the prestigious Eko Hotels & Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos. The award was held at the October edition of the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Forum sponsored by pcl., a live gathering that celebrated the remarkable achievements of organisations leading in digital transformation across various sectors in Nigeria. The event featured keynote speeches from esteemed leaders in the digital space, panel discussions on emerging trends, and an award ceremony honouring organisation that have exemplified innovation and excellence in digital transformation.
The Digital Jurist Awards assesses the digital touchpoints of organisations in various sectors. Over the last 17 years, ten sectors have been assessed, including organisations in Financial Services, Insurance, Telecommunication, Aviation, State Governments, and Government Parastatals.

Digital Jurist accurately gauges the effectiveness and usefulness of customer-facing websites and other digital platforms in Nigeria, taking into consideration the evolution of websites and the diversification of customer channels in the digital economy. The tool is constantly refreshed for effectiveness and relevance within the current contextual digital environment.

Under the theme “Digital Transformation: Building Sustainable Platforms for The Future,” this year’s Digital Jurist Awards gathered industry leaders and stakeholders dedicated to advancing digital excellence. The highlight of the event was a compelling keynote address by Dr Juliet Ehimuan, Founder & CEO of Beyond Limits Africa, who emphasised the transformative power of digital technology in driving sustainable growth across sectors.

Dr. Ehimuan remarked that the Digital Jurist Awards are fundamentally about celebrating excellence in digital transformation.

She further explained the importance of building sustainable platforms that enable organisations to gain and maintain a competitive edge, stressing that a sustainable digital transformation must be robust, resilient, fast, easy to navigate, scalable, continuously improving, and secure. She concluded with a powerful reminder that “technology is only as good as its application; technology is the now and the future.”

The event also showcased an engaging panel discussion with prominent experts such as:

Babalola Oyeleye, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, MTN Nigeria, shared valuable insights into the role of artificial intelligence and data management in personalising customer experiences. He emphasised, “To effectively personalise services and products, connecting AI and data management is essential, enabling us to draw insights from data and make informed decisions. This approach allows us to tailor experiences that meet individual customer needs.”

Ayowole Popoola, Chief Information Security Officer, FCMB, remarked on the importance of integrating cybersecurity into digital transformation strategies from the very beginning, stating, “How organisations can ensure that cybersecurity is an integral part of their digital transformation strategies, rather than treating it as an afterthought” He stated that “To ensure cybersecurity is integral to digital transformation strategies, organisations must integrate security considerations from the outset, involving all stakeholders in the planning process.”

Dumebi Obodo, MD/CEO, ChamsSwitch Limited, added valuable insights on user-centred design, stressing that “The job is not complete if your customer service is called more often when developing new platforms.” This highlights the critical need for comprehensive user research to create intuitive and user-friendly platforms that reduce reliance on customer support and enhance user experience from the outset. He also suggested that organisations carry out annual audits on data issues.

Dr Usman Abdullahi, Head, Information Technology Projects Clearance, NITDA, reinforced on digital sustainability. He emphasised the critical role of stakeholders in creating sustainable and adaptable regulatory frameworks to support the digital ecosystem. Dr. Usman pointed out that consumer protection is paramount, noting, “User Protection is the key to a sustainable platform.” He advocated for regulations that are not only quality-driven and strategic but also accessible and inclusive to serve the global digital community effectively. He added that leaders should craft flexible regulations to accommodate evolving digital trends while safeguarding users’ interests.

The key takeaway from the discussions is that digitisation is the new way of life. However, for it to be meaningful and impactful, any digitisation effort should ensure that leadership support is secured and to sustain such effort, attention should be paid to refined processes, stakeholder management, effective training, and change management.

The pivotal moment of the day was the Awards presentation to outstanding organisations that have made significant strides in digital excellence.

Access Bank Plc was recognised for Best Digital and Best Website in the Commercial Bank sector, while Ecobank won Best Web Portal. Polaris Bank was awarded Best Mobile App, and Zenith Bank was honoured for Best Social Media.

For the FinTech sector, Interswitch Limited won Best Digital, and eTranzact International Limited was awarded Best Website. Paga secured the title for Best Web Portal, while Piggyvest excelled by winning Best Mobile App and Best Social Media.

In the Microfinance Bank sector, Moniepoint was recognised for Best Digital and Best Website, with Kuda Bank taking the award for Best Social Media.

Merchant Bank had FBN Quest Merchant Bank win Best Digital and Best Website, while Coronation Merchant Bank received the award for Best Social Media.

In the Telecoms sector, MTN Nigeria was awarded Best Digital, Best Website, and Best Social Media, while Airtel Nigeria won Best Mobile App.

For Government Parastatals, the Bank of Industry won Best Digital and Best Website awards, with the Central Bank of Nigeria recognised for Best Social Media.

Akwa Ibom won Best Digital, Best Website, and Best Social Media in the State government category.

For Insurance, Leadway Assurance was awarded Best Digital and Best Website, while AXA Mansard Insurance won Best Social Media.

Airpeace was recognised for Best Digital and Social Media in the Aviation sector, and Ibom Air won Best Website.

Finally, in the Betting sector, Bet9ja was awarded Best Digital and Best Social Media, while BetWinner took home the award for Best Website.

Jason Ikegwu, Partner Digital Technology Consulting, pcl., remarked that this year, the Digital Jurist Award has assessed digital touchpoints for 338 organisations and conducted assessments across ten sectors over the last 17 years. He explained that the Web Jurist rating has been rebranded as the Digital Jurist to incorporate newer digital touchpoints.

“The Digital Jurist is designed to accurately measure the effectiveness and usefulness of customer-facing websites and other digital touchpoints in Nigeria, reflecting the evolution of websites and the diversification of customer channels in the digital economy,” he stated. He further noted that the evaluation tool is continually updated to ensure its effectiveness and relevance within the current digital landscape before presenting the awards to the winners of the 2024 Digital Jurist Awards.

Olawanle Moronkeji, COO, pcl., added, “It is imperative that we continue to foster collaboration across sectors to advance digital transformation initiatives. Together, we can build platforms that not only drive business success but also enhance the overall digital landscape.”

The Digital Jurist Awards will continue to serve as a platform for recognising and promoting digital excellence in Nigeria, fostering a culture of innovation and sustainable growth.

pcl. is a leading business and management consulting firm with over three decades of expertise, providing transformation, advisory services, technology and training solutions to organisations in Africa. pcl. is committed to helping people and organisations navigate change, accelerate growth and redefine the future. pcl.’s unparalleled expertise and innovative solutions have consistently driven success for its clients, making pcl. a trusted partner in their journey towards sustainable development and industry leadership in an ever-evolving business landscape.

For more information, visit www.phillipsconsulting.net

Concerning the Digital Jurist Awards, please visit www.digitaljurist.ng