Rotary District 9110 has honored outstanding
changemakers whose innovative initiatives and leadership are driving transformative community development across Lagos.
he recognition celebrates innovators whose leadership and solutions are driving sustainable community impact, the Club said in a statement.
The 2023 edition of the Rotary Social Innovation and Leadership Awards, organized by the Rotary Club of Anthony Golden, brought together social entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and Rotarians on April 18 and 19, 2023, at the Rotary Club House, Anthony Village, Lagos.
According to the statement, finalists competed across three key categories: Emerging Innovators in Business for Good, Women-Led Social Enterprises, and AI and Digital Inclusion for Underserved Communities reflecting Rotary’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and sustainable development.
A five-member expert panel was appointed to evaluate over 60 submissions.The panel comprised AI entrepreneur and founder of OutboxCom and Signtura, Victor Obioma Umozurike; SME strategist and District 9110 Impact Committee Lead, Rotarian Tunde Aluko; CEO of TechBridge Africa, Ngozi Ezeanya; and Chair of Social Enterprise Network Ibadan, Dr. Bayo Olatunji.
The organizers reiterated that the initiative aligns with Rotary’s broader goal of encouraging ethical leadership and innovation that creates measurable social impact.
Commenting on the evaluation process, Umozurike noted that the submissions reflected a growing culture of purpose-driven innovation in Nigeria.
“The caliber of submissions this year reflects a growing wave of purpose-driven entrepreneurship in Nigeria. It was an honor to help spotlight ventures that blend technology with social impact. Many of these founders are building platforms that can scale across borders while solving real problems,” he said.
Umozurike’s assessments focused on AI integration, automation readiness, and business model viability, with attention to the ethical and scalable use of intelligent systems.
Speaking, Rotarian Aluko emphasized financial sustainability and operational feasibility, noting that the process helped identify ventures with strong execution potential and deep community alignment.
Further mentioned in the statement, Ezeanya brought a gender inclusion perspective, advocating for women-led social enterprises with measurable social impact.
Her evaluations shaped the outcome of the Women-Led Social Enterprises category.
In his keynote address, District Governor Mr. Adejimi Olubanjo reaffirmed Rotary’s commitment to nurturing ethical leadership and sustainable development.
“We believe in empowering changemakers who are solving real problems. These awards reflect Rotary’s mission to serve humanity through innovation,” he said.
At the event, three organizations emerged as winners for each category: EcoMend Africa, SheBuilds Initiative, and DataBridge Hub.
Closing the ceremony, Rotarian Olalekan Otun, Vice Chair of the Awards Committee, commended the judges for their integrity and thoroughness.