Dr Fene Osakwe, a Nigerian-born cybersecurity expert and Chairman of the Lagos State Cybersecurity Advisory Board, has become the first African to be nominated for the Cyber Personality of the Year award in the United Kingdom.
The Cyber Personality of the Year award honours exceptional individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership, advocacy, and expertise in cybersecurity.
The prestigious award recognizes thought leaders who have made significant contributions to the industry, promoting its growth, visibility, and nurturing the next generation of professionals.
The award ceremony, scheduled for March, will be graced by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The Cyber Security Awards, established in 2014, recognizes outstanding individuals, teams, and organizations in the global cybersecurity sector.
As an independent event, it operates without affiliations to magazines, organizations, or products, ensuring judges’ decisions are based solely on merit.
As the sole African nominee in the Cyber Personality of the Year category, Dr. Osakwe will compete against renowned leaders from 11 other countries.
With a decade-long track record of innovative leadership and strategic vision in cybersecurity, He has earned widespread international recognition and acclaim.
Dr. Osakwe is a prolific cybersecurity thought leader, penning influential articles for esteemed platforms like Forbes and contributing extensively to groundbreaking research and publications.
He has received prestigious invitations to join esteemed organizations, including the Global Advisory Board for Penetration Testing by EC-Council in 2024 and the Forbes Technology Council in 2021.
Dr. Osakwe’s impressive accomplishments earned him a spot among the top 100 inspiring personalities of 2022, along with numerous other notable distinctions.
He also dedicates time to mentoring graduate, master’s, and doctoral students at four universities across the globe, spanning the UK, Nigeria, the US, and Canada.
Reacting to his historic nomination, Dr. Osakwe emphasized that the honour showcases excellence transcending borders and biases, highlighting Africa’s notable achievements on the global stage.
He said: “I find it inspiring to receive recognition on an international scale, and being the sole African candidate in this category which represents a significant honour.”
Osakwe’s nomination has attracted a lot of congratulatory messages from notable Nigerians, including Lagos Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who commended him for the historic nomination.
Sanwo-Olu said: “I congratulate Dr. Fene Osakwe, whose exploits have shown the great potential of our youths in the tech space.
“We in Lagos are proud of him and will continue to encourage our youths to become the best so that Lagos will be known as the home of experts in the tech and innovation space.”
Also, the Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission(NiDCOM), Rep. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, felicitated Osakwe, on his groundbreaking nomination.
Dabiri-Erewa said: “As the first African to be nominated for this award, Osakwe’s accomplishment inspires Nigerians and Africans around the world.
“We are delighted to see Dr Fene Osakwe’s hard work and dedication recognised in this way.
“His achievement is a shining example of the talent and expertise that Nigerians possess, and we look forward to celebrating his success.”
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