Finalists Announced for African Utility Week Industry Awards Show Continent-Wide Success and Buy-in

Cape Town, South Africa, May 10, 2018 --(PR.com)-- The fifth annual African Utility Week Industry Awards received nominations from far and wide for the 12 different categories celebrating excellence in the energy and water industries. The finalists have been announced for the awards which honour pioneering utilities, projects and people in the energy and water industry on the continent during 2017/2018. The awards gala dinner takes place on 16 May and forms part of the African Utility Week conference and expo taking place at the CTICC in Cape Town. This year, two new categories were added, namely excellence in energy or water journalism as well as digitally advanced utilities.

The finalists for the African Utility Week Industry Awards 2018:

Lifetime Achievement Award
• Siengui Apollinaire KI, Secretary General, Western African Power Pool, Burkina Faso
• Alex Gisagara, Director of Engineering, National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Uganda
• Irene Muloni, Cabinet Minister for Energy and Minerals, Uganda Ministry of Energy, Uganda
• Roland Schulze, Professor Emeritus of Hydrology Centre for Water Resources Research School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
• Elijah Sichone, Executive Secretary, Regional Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA), Namibia

Outstanding Contribution Award: Water
• Anthony Turton, Professor Centre for Environmental Management, University of Free State, South Africa
• Paul Yillia, Research Scholar (Water Programme), International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria
• Silver Mugisha, Managing Director, National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Uganda

Energy/Water Reporter of the Year Award
• Emeka Anuforo, Senior Energy Correspondent, Guardian Newspaper, Nigeria
• Chris Yelland, Energy Reporter, EE Publishers, South Africa
• Fredrick Mugira, Coordinator and Editor Water Journalists Africa Network, Uganda
• Sally Ngakanyanga, Independent Journalist, Zimbabwe
• Newton Sibanda, Freelance journalist, Zambia
• Saya Pierce-Jones, Reporter, Smile90.4 FM, South Africa

Outstanding Contribution Award: Power
• Mouhamadou Makhtar Cisse, CEO, Société Nationale d’électricité du Sénégal (SENELEC), Senegal
• Herta von Stiegel, Executive Chair, Ariya Capital, Kenya
• Ana Hajduka, Founder & CEO, Africa Green Co. United Kingdom
• Jean Bosco Mugiraneza, CEO, Rwanda Energy Group Limited (REG), Rwanda
• Mateus Magala, President of the Board of Directors (CEO), Electricidade De Moçambique, E.P., Mozambique
• Chris Prengels, CEO, Tiger Power, Belgium / Tanzania

Power Utility of the Year Award
• Compagnie Ivoirienne D’Electricite (CIE), Cote d'Ivoire
• Société Nationale d'électricité du Burkina Faso (SONABEL), Burkina Faso
• Electriçidade De Moçambique, Mozambique
• Public Utilities Corporation, Seychelles

Water Utility of the Year Award
• Office National de l'Eau et de l'Assainissement (ONEA), Burkina Faso
• National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Uganda
• Sénégalaise des Eaux, Sénégal

Outstanding Contribution Award: Young Leader
• Beatrice Muthoni, Renewable Energy Consultant, KTDA Power Company, Kenya
• Edmand Aijuka, CEO, Kamata, Uganda
• Rebekah Shirley, Director of Research, Power for All, Kenya
• Rose Mutiso, Co-Founder & CEO, Mawazo Institute, Kenya

Grid-Tied Renewable Energy Project Award (10MW+)
• Access Power, EREN RE, Uganda
• Xina Solar One Thermo Solar Plant, Abengoa, South Africa
• Building Energy - Tororo Solar Power Station, Uganda

Small-Scale Renewable Energy Project Award (Under 5MW)
• InnoSun Energy Holding, Namibia
• Jiro-Ve, Madagascar
• National Department of Tourism -Robben Island Solar Photovoltaic Micro-grid project, South Africa
• Rafiki Power, Germany / Tanzania
• Solarkiosk, Germany / Zambia

Innovative Technology of the Year Award
• SENER, South Africa
• Azuri Technologies, United Kingdom
• I Drop Water, South Africa

Deal of the Year Award
• Metito, United Arab Emirates
• Ministry of Energy, Zambia
• Albatros Energy Mali, Mali
• Africa Finance Corporation, Nigeria

The Digital Solution of the Year Award
• National Water & Sewerage Corporation, Uganda
• Siemens, South Africa

Industry support
The awards have also received major industry support in the form of sponsorships from Aberdare Cables, Eaton, ESI Africa, Lucy Electric, Mazars, SBS Tanks, Standard Bank, and Steinmüller.

Award-winning energy platform
The 18th annual, multi-award winning African Utility Week will gather over 7000 decision makers from more than 80 countries to discuss the challenges, solutions and successes in the power, energy and water sectors on the continent. Along with multiple side events and numerous networking functions the event also boasts a six track conference with over 300 expert speakers.

The African Utility Week expo offers an extensive technical workshop programme that is CPD accredited, free to attend, and offers hands-on presentations that take place in defined spaces on the exhibition floor. They discuss practical, day-to-day technical topics, best practices and product solutions that businesses, large power users and utilities can implement in their daily operations.

African Utility Week is the flagship energy event organised by the multi-award winning Spintelligent, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, and part of Clarion Events Ltd, based in the UK. Other well-known energy events by Spintelligent are Future Energy Nigeria and Future Energy East Africa. More events include Agritech Expo Zambia, Property Buyer Show, DRC Mining Week, Eduweek, Farm-Tech Expo Kenya, Nigeria Mining Week and the Mining Baraza in Kenya.

Dates for African Utility Week:
Conference and expo: 15-17 May 2018
Awards gala dinner: 16 May 2018 – please note that seats are limited
Site visits: 18 May 2018
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa