The growth of its entrepreneurial population is paramount to any nation’s economic prosperity. Most deservingly, Nigerian entrepreneurs have been encouraged to grow on multiple fronts this year and this move is not waning yet as the Nigeria Entrepreneurs Summit, Exhibition, and Awards 2015 approaches. This summit provides entrepreneurs with the opportunity of rubbing minds with top business leaders, and to explore new opportunities for business expansion.

Sequel to a call for nominations earlier in the year, the final list of nominees for the Nigeria Entrepreneurs Awards is now live on the award website and Nigerians can now vote for deserving awardees. This development was announced in Abuja by the awards’ Director of Corporate Communication, Mr Kenneth Kosin, who also disclosed that the list had been drawn from more than 2,000 individuals and corporate bodies that were nominated.

According to the organizers, the initiative is driven by intensive research to identify worthy nominees, who have shown outstanding entrepreneurial and corporate behavior. Nominees are individuals and companies that have delivered immense value to their customers, shareholders and whose impact have been felt by the society in the course of the year.

Voting categories include SMEs supportive bank of the year, Labour friendly organization of the year, Business-friendly State of the year, Outstanding CEO of the year, Outstanding entrepreneur of the year, Award for creativity and excellence, Award for excellence and leadership, Customer friendly brand of the year, Customer friendly eatery of the year, and a host of others.

Award recipients will be unveiled at a two-day event in October that will culminate in an Award dinner. The program billed to hold at Ladi Kwali Hall, Abuja Sheraton Hotel, is themed ‘Building a Prosperous Economy: Entrepreneurship as an Economic Force.’

Principal Partner of the Awards, Mr. Uwabor Joshua enthused that Nigeria Entrepreneurs Award is the most prestigious and highly celebrated business award in the country. According to him, the Awards will recognize entrepreneurs from multiple industries all over the country; identifying individuals and corporate organizations that have created jobs, empowered youths, contributed to National GDP and rendered services towards the growth of the economy in 2015.

The 2014 edition of the awards saw Mr. Nnamdi Ezeigbo, Founder and CEO Slot Nigeria, receiving the award for business innovation while Standard Chartered Bank emerged as the SME supportive bank of the year among others.