By Yemisi Suleiman

To announce the recipients of the Study UK Alumni Awards 2021-22 in Nigeria, The British Council held a prestigious ceremony on Saturday, February 26 at the Eko Hotel and Suites Victoria Island, Lagos.

In total, 12 UK alumni in 4 categories were recognized for their outstanding achievements as business professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, and for their contribution to strengthening ties between the UK and Nigeria.

Recipients were selected for the four award categories: Science and Sustainability Award, Culture and Creativity Award, Social Action Award, and Business and Innovation Award.

The prestigious international award celebrates UK higher education and the achievements of UK alumni all over the world. Now in its eighth year, the award received more than 1,500 applications from international UK alumni in more than 100 countries, representing more than 140 UK higher education institutions across the UK. 

Science and Sustainability Award was presented to Sikiru Mohammed, a graduate of the University of Leeds. Sikiru Mohammed is promoting engineering ethics in Nigeria and investing his time in STEM for youths to improve the high school education narrative for a better tomorrow.

Culture and Creativity Award was presented to Gift Chidera Peters, a graduate of the University of Portsmouth.  Gift Chidera Peters is the founder of an online platform known as the CP Community that supports international students in the UK with the right information, resources, and a vibrant student community to help them navigate life in the UK, settle and ace their studies. The CP Community currently boasts of over 11,000 student members from over 7 countries in Africa including Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, DRC, etc. 

The Social Action award was presented to Mariam Momodu, a graduate of the University of Cambridge. Mariam Momodu is a commercial lawyer, academic and social entrepreneur. She is the founder of GetIn Education Consulting (GetIn), a social enterprise that democratizes access to education-related opportunities for African students. GetIn has a reach of over 20,000 students and has helped Africans access over $2.5 million in scholarships. 

The Business and Innovation award was presented to Oluwafemi Adeola Adedipe, a graduate of the University of Southampton. Adedipe Oluwafemi is an entrepreneur focusing on financial access for underserved businesses across Nigeria’s informal sector. He is the Founder of StreetCred and Pistis Finserve. He is also the founder of the Pistis Sustainability Essay Competition as well as the Pistis Young Scholars Programme, a leadership development platform for high-achieving students. His companies have collectively provided more than 1Billion Naira (approx. $2.5 million) in loans to more than 10,000 women traders, artisans, and street vendors across Nigeria, serving customers from 34 business locations. 

Lucy Pearson, Country Director at the British Council in Nigeria, said: “The remarkable individuals we celebrated today have all taken their UK education as a starting point to excel in their chosen careers and shape the world around them. This year’s awards ceremony is testimony not only to the diversity of UK alumni and their endeavours, but also to the transformative impact of a UK education.”

Nigeria is one of the many countries hosting the awards this year, with awarding ceremonies in 23 countries, including India, Armenia, and Qatar.