ARISE News emerged ‘Television Station of the Year’ at the maiden edition of The Nigerian Broadcasting Awards (TNBA), held on Wednesday, May 17, at Eko Convention Center, Lagos.

The Nigerian Broadcasting Awards was  initiated by the the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON), the umbrella body of broadcast stations in the country, with the primary aim of acknowledging, commemorating and bestowing recognition upon outstanding professionals within the nation’s broadcasting industry.

At the unveiling of the awards last year, BON Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, said the initiative is aimed at igniting the passion of aspiring talents and motivating broadcast professionals to elevate their efforts in the industry.

He added that the awards will provide an avenue to honour distinguished individuals who have made substantial contributions to the field, by acknowledging their remarkable impact.

“The awards will recognise and reward the talents that abound in the Nigerian broadcasting industry, spur them to be better and inspire up and coming professionals to excel in the knowledge that they will someday be recognised and celebrated.

“Broadcasting in Nigeria has come a very long way and it is time we started celebrating broadcasters for their sacrifices,” he said.

Having been nominated in multiple categories, Arise News Channel won three awards including the biggest award of the night, ‘Television Station of the Year’.

The TV channel also bagged the Best Television News (English Language) and Reporter of the Year, which was clinched by it’s News Correspondent Ovieteme George.

The Deputy managing director of ARISE News,  Emmanuel Efeni and executive director Kayode Akintemi received the award on behalf of the Chairman THISDAY-ARISE media group, Nduka Obiagbena.

In his speech, Efeni expressed gratitude to Arise News’ audience and made a commitment to uphold trustworthy journalism.

“First I want to thank the Almighty God who made this award possible, it’s an award not just for hard work but for all our viewers around the world who tune in morning, afternoon and midnight to listen to the news.

“We will continue to cover the news from everywhere around the world,” he said.

The Nigerian Broadcasting Awards had about 12 categories each for radio and television, as well awards which recognise veteran broadcasters who have made an invaluable impact on the growth of the industry.

The event was hosted by Frank Edoho, a well-known media personality. The night featured musical performances by music consultant, Ben Ogbeiwi and former contestant of Nigerian Idol, Akunna, along with other artists.

Nigeria Info FM bagged ‘Best Radio Station of the Year’, while Channels TV won in the category of ‘Best Television Station – Original Production in Business/Drama/Sports (English Language)’.

The Lifetime Achievement awards were presented to Christopher Kolade, a veteran broadcaster and former Director-General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation; Vincent Maduka, the first Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), known for advocating for additional categories to recognise radio and TV programs; and Mohammed Ibrahim, the first Nigerian to oversee both the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

They were honoured for their significant contributions to the promotion of the broadcast industry.

The event also honoured and remembered influential individuals who made significant contributions to the broadcast industry even after their passing.

This included the late Mike Enahoro, a renowned broadcaster, as well as Dahiru Modibbo and Kunle Olasepe. Kunle Olasepe held the distinction of being Africa’s first male face and voice on television. Their contributions were recognised and celebrated during the event.