Year In Review: Nigeria In 2018 On Connect Nigeria

People

  Joe Blankson put the lives of 25 boat passengers before his own in a rescue mission that cost him his life on Thursday June 28, 2018. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/08/everyday-heroes-blankson-dies-after-rescuing-13-drowning-boat-passengers/   Nigerian kids dance group, Ikorodu Dream Catchers, got a surprise Easter visit from super model, Naomi Campbell. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/04/ikorodu-dream-catchers-get-easter-visit-naomi-campbell/   A year long protest against the inhumane activities perpetrated by SARS operatives in the country came to a favorable end this year, thanks to this man, Segun Awosanya. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/08/segun-awosanya-the-man-behind-endsars-campaign/   Meet Zannah Mustapha, the man who puts his life in danger everyday to cater for indigent children ravaged by Boko Haram crisis. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/10/meet-zannah-mustapha-the-first-nigerian-to-receive-the-united-nations-highest-honor/   Njideka Akunyili-Crosby’s photo collage was bought for ₦1.2 billion. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/09/nigerian-artist-njideka-akunyili-crosby/   Aliko Dangote was named the world’s sixth most charitable person. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/10/aliko-dangote-named-worlds-sixth-most-charitable-person/   A Nigerian professor, Titus Ibekwe, was elected the Vice Chairman of the International Advisory Board (IAB) of the American Academy of Otorhinolaryngology. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/10/professor-titus-ibekwe-elected-vice-chairman-of-intl-advisory-board-of-american-academy/   Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, won the 2018 Pen Pinter Award. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/06/chimamanda-bags-pen-pinter-award/   A Nigerian judge, Chile Eboe-Osuji was elected the president of the International Criminal Court in March 2018. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/03/nigerian-judge-chile-eboe-osuji-elected-as-icc-president/

Sports

  Anthony Joshua defeated Parker to become the unified heavyweight world champion. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/04/anthony-joshua-defeats-joseph-parker-win-fourth-world-title/   That time the Super Eagles’ Jerseys sold out https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/05/nike-receives-over-three-million/   Though the Super Eagles could not come home with the World Cup, Ahmed Musa’s goal was awarded the 8th best goal of the tournament. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/07/ahmed-musas-goal-rated-8th-best-in-the-world/   Asisat Oshoala won the CAF Women Player of the Year award. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/02/oshoala-wins-female-player-of-the-year-kanu-okocha-eguavoen-in-legends-xi/   Aruna Quadri’s became the 20th best table tennis player in the world. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/07/ittf-ranking-quadri-now-20th-best-player-in-the-world/   Blessing Okagbare was named University of Texas-El Paso’s all time best female athlete and inducted into the African Athletics Confederation Hall of Fame. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/04/blessing-okagbare-named-uteps-time-best-female-athlete/   Super Falcons became nine-time African champions. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/12/2018-awcon-super-falcons-defeat-bayana-bayana-to-win-9th-title/   Nigeria was at the Commonwealth Games. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/04/nigeria-commonwealth-games-opening-ceremony/   Meet our Nigerian heroes at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/03/winter-olympics-no-medals-yet-made-history/

TECH

  Nigeria’s foremost tech company, Andela, was bestowed the best company to work in Africa award. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/06/andela-nigeria-receives-award-best-company-work-africa/   Tech companies, Tizeti, Paystack and Piggy Bank, secured major seed funding this year. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/09/tizeti-gets-3-million-in-series-a-funding-round/ https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/08/paystack-gets-8-million-in-series-a-funding-round/ https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/06/fintech-startup-piggybank-secured-1-1-million-seed-funding/   5 Junior secondary school girls from Anambra state went all the way to California and won the Technovation World Pitch. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/08/nigerian-girls-win-technovation-world-pitch-2018/   Nigeria was named the fourth fastest growing developer community on Github, a web based version control and collaboration platform for software developers. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/11/nigeria-named-the-fourth-fastest-growing-developer-community-on-github/   Ayotunde Coker joined the ranks of Nigerians doing the nation proud outside its borders with his appointment as the Secretary General of the African Data Center. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/11/ayotunde-coker-elected-secretary-general-of-african-data-centre-association/   Meet the 12 year old Nigerian, Tomisin Ogunnubi, who built her first App at age 12. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/08/anyone-can-learn-coding-tomisin-ogunnubi-built-first-own-mobile-app-at-12/   Google launched its Google Station service in Nigeria. The project which has already begun, will make high speed WiFi available to over 10 million Nigerians in major cities. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/07/google-station-has-launced-its-free-wi-fi-service-in-nigeria/   Over 15,000 African developers benefited from the Andela Learning Community sponsored by Google. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/03/google-partners-udacity-andela-train-15000-developers-africa/   Google Impact Challenge Nigeria  crowned three lucky winners. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/12/vetsark-3-other-startups-emerge-winners-of-the-google-impact-challenge-nigeria/   Chatbots are the new biggest thing in Nigeria, see our top five for 2018 here: https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/12/top-5-chat-bots-indigenous-to-nigeria/

SMEs

  Over 5,000 delegates turned up for Africa’s largest SME event organized by us: https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/02/connect-nigeria-sme-e-business-fair/   100 businesses emerged winners of Connect Nigeria’s Top 100 Emerging SMEs in Nigeria. This is part of our commitment to empowering at least 1 million SMEs https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/07/connect-nigeria-top-100-smes/   Our top 100 winners gathered for a refreshing time with business analysts at the Stallion Plaza, Union Bank, to receive their awards and take the next step in their business development. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/12/connect-nigeria-top-100-emerging-smes-gala/   Connect Nigeria was awarded the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, 2018 Media Partner. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/12/connect-nigeria-awarded-nacc-2018-media-partner-of-the-year/   Oil and gas mogul and Aiteo founder, Benedict Peters, was named Africa’s oil and gas leader of the year by Forbes. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/10/aiteo-founder-benedict-peters-gets-forbes-award/   We revealed Nigeria’s leather industry to be worth ₦25 billion. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/08/nigerias-multi-billion-naira-leather-industry/  

Entertainment

  See Connect Nigeria’s top 5 new artistes of 2018. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/12/top-5-new-artistes-of-2018/   See the Nigerian stars that took the stage at the world’s biggest music concert. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/12/nigerian-stars-dazzle-at-the-global-citizen-festival/   The Nigerian entertainers highly recognized by local and international bodies in the year 2018: https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/10/minnesota-declares-october-6-wizkid-day/ https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/11/tiwa-savage-makes-history-at-mtv-ema/ https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/09/basketmouth-wins-pan-african-comic-of-the-year-award/ https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/03/davido-and-emmanuella-nominated-in-the-nickelodeon-kids-choice-award/ https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/12/davido-nominated-for-future-awards-africas-young-person-of-the-year/   And then Tiwa Savage made Nigerian history with her sold-out UK show. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/08/tiwa-savages-sold-out-uk-tour-new-album-and-more/   Star-Boy launched a new clothing line in New York. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/08/starboy-launches-clothing-line-in-new-york/   AY and Omoni Oboli made their Hollywood debut in a Christmas themed animation, Elliot. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/11/ay-and-omoni-oboli-feature-in-debut-hollywood-film/   Banky W & Adesua among the most influential people in Africa. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/10/banky-w-and-adesua-etomi-among-most-influential-people-of-african-descent/   This year, the entertainment industry celebrated the life of Tosyn Bucknor, an OAP. All her life, the ‘Area Mama’ as she was fondly called by her radio fans, battled with sickle cell anemia. Her fight came to an abrupt end in November when a complication led to her death. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/11/the-life-and-times-of-tosyn-bucknor/

Politics

  Meet the 2019 Presidential aspirants. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/07/2019-presidential-aspirants/   Nigerians had the opportunity to watch vice presidential candidates from five major parties slug it out in an open debate at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. The success of the session was proof that we can have a working system if we choose to vote rightly and sternly shun electoral misconduct. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/12/vice-presidential-debate-2019-inching-towards-issue-based-politics/   Kaduna state declared free education for all female students in public Secondary Schools in the state. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/09/kaduna-state-government-declare-free-tuition-for-public-secondary-school-girls/   Kemi Adeosun, resigned from her national responsibilities as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/09/adeosun-resigns-as-nigerias-minister-of-finance/   British Prime Minister, Theresa May, signed a security pact with Nigeria. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/08/theresa-may-signs-security-pact-with-nigeria/   Meet the Entertainers currently in politics. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/03/5-nollywood-actors-politics/   Banky W declared his intention to run for the Lagos Eti Osa Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/11/banky-w-to-run-for-house-of-representatives/   See reasons you should vote come 2019 general elections. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/09/opinion-five-reasons-you-should-vote-in-2019/

Events & Happenings

  Lagos was home to Africa’s biggest runway fashion show for another year. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/10/heineken-lagos-fashion-week-2018-finale/   There was the  Nack Interlude Shopping Party https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/09/nack-in-ter-lude-shopping-party/   And then LIPFEST returned to Lagos for another riveting series of artsy events. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/11/recap-lipfest-2018-conversations-from-finding-home/   Disruptive conversations were the order of the day at the TEDx Lagos event, held at Muson Centre, on the 18th of August 2018. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/08/tedx-lagos-2018/   Tutu, a painting by late Nigerian modern art genius, Ben Enwonwu, which was believed to have been lost for good, resurfaced this year and made a brief return to Nigeria. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/11/tutu-painting-displayed-in-nigeria-for-the-first-time-in-40-years/  

Innovations

  Nigerians changed the game with big transportation innovations this year. https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/09/made-in-nigeria-luxury-tricycle/ https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/08/electric-keke-napep-unveiled/   And here’s how you can get ready for 2019: https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2017/12/4-tips-make-new-year-resolutions-stick/ https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2017/01/kickstart-business-new-year/ https://connectnigeria.com/articles/2018/01/10-new-year-resolutions-small-business/ Thank you for such a beautiful year. Let’s do it again!

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This article was first published on 30th December 2018

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