MTN Chairman
OpenLife News reports that the Chairman of MTN Nigeria, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, has been honoured at the Daily Times Nigeria Centenary Awards, tagged DTN@100 Times Heroes Awards, in Lagos.
Ndukwe, a former Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) from 2000 to 2010, was honoured as a Changemaker in Telecommunications and Digital Development for his pioneering role in the liberalisation and introduction of GSM services in Nigeria.
The celebration was a night for legends because it did not just celebrate a newspaper, it celebrated the men and women who built Nigeria.
And at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, one name stood out in the world of technology.
Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman of MTN Nigeria, bagged the Digital Development Award.
He was honoured as a Changemaker in Telecommunications and Digital Development at the Daily Times Nigeria Centenary Awards, tagged DTN@100 Times Heroes Awards.
The theme said it all: “Honouring the Past, Shaping the Future.”
The Man Who Brought GSM To Nigeria
If you use a phone in Nigeria today, you owe a debt to Ndukwe. As Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) from 2000 to 2010, he led the liberalisation of Nigeria’s telecom industry.
Under his watch, GSM services were introduced — a move that fundamentally transformed communication, business and economic opportunities for millions of Nigerians.
From a country with less than 500,000 phone lines, Nigeria exploded into Africa’s biggest mobile market. Traders, farmers, students, bankers — everyone was connected.
That is why the organisers said his work “helped shape the foundation on which Nigeria’s digital advancement continues.”
Presenting the award, they declared: “In recognition of his pioneering contribution to telecommunications and his enduring commitment to national progress, we honour Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, OFR, as a Changemaker in Telecommunications and Digital Development.”
“Daily Times At 100 Is Something Special”
An elated Ndukwe, accepting the award, congratulated the newspaper and its board on the milestone.
“A wonderful event, Daily Times at 100 is something special,” he said.
“I am sure it will move, many times over, to the next level. I thank everyone who is here today for making time to celebrate with all of us on this landmark.”
Nigeria Is Not Nigeria Without Daily Times
Speaking on the significance of the centenary, the Chairman of Folio Media Group, which owns Daily Times Nigeria, Mr. Fidelis Anosike, said the newspaper’s legacy was inseparable from the story of Nigeria itself.“Nigeria is not Nigeria today if there was no Daily Times. They laboured to create the country that we see today, and we are here to continue in their legacy of trying to build, one million times,” he said.
The celebration also featured the Shaping the Future Town Hall and the Honouring the Past Exhibition, celebrating leadership and innovation across media, banking, energy, manufacturing, public service, technology and national development.
Other Big Winners Of The Night
Ndukwe was in legendary company of:
Mr. Jim Ovia, CFR, CON, founder of Zenith Bank — Changemaker of the Century Award
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON, President/Chief Executive of Dangote Group — Centenary Excellence Award
Dr. Biodun Shobanjo, CON, Chairman of Troyka Group/Insight Publicis — Changemaker of the Century
BUA Group — Conglomerate of the Decade.
Founded in 1926, Daily Times Nigeria is widely regarded as the country’s oldest surviving newspaper.
Its centenary drew captains of industry, media veterans, technocrats and political leaders to Victoria Island for what speakers described as a night “to honour the past and shape the future.”
Further Clarifications On Ernest Ndukwe, Daily Times, MTN, NCC
Q: Who is Ernest Ndukwe?
A: Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, OFR, is the Chairman of MTN Nigeria and former Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) from 2000 to 2010, where he led telecom liberalisation and GSM introduction in Nigeria.
Q: What award did Ndukwe win at Daily Times @100?
A: He was honoured as a Changemaker in Telecommunications and Digital Development at the Daily Times Nigeria Centenary Awards (DTN@100 Times Heroes Awards) in Lagos on November 3, 2026.
Q: When was Daily Times Nigeria founded?
A: Daily Times Nigeria was founded in 1926 and is widely regarded as Nigeria’s oldest surviving newspaper. It celebrated its centenary in 2026.
Q: Who else was honoured at Daily Times @100?
A: Jim Ovia, founder of Zenith Bank, received Changemaker of the Century; Aliko Dangote received Centenary Excellence Award; Biodun Shobanjo received Changemaker of the Century; and BUA Group was named Conglomerate of the Decade.
Q: Where did the Daily Times @100 awards hold?
A: The awards held at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos, alongside the Shaping the Future Town Hall and the Honouring the Past Exhibition.
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