This year’s Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards (DABRA) holds in London tomorrow, July 17, 2013. The Awards, now in its 10^th year, is put in place to encourage professionalism and journalistic excellence among business journalists in Africa.

Past winners include News Express Publisher, Isaac Umunna, who on July 4, 2005 made history as the first Nigerian to win the individual category of the DABRA. Umunna achieved the feat with “A Partnership of Giants” which he wrote for the London-based Africa Today magazine, of which he was General Editor (West Africa) at the time. The story, which was voted the best in the “Best Published Feature” category, explored growing trade relations between Nigeria and South Africa and the implications for Africa’s development.

The aim of the Awards, according to Mr. Seni Adetu, Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, a Diageo Company, is to recognise and reward journalists who are providing the best coverage of business in Africa. He said that the Awards have been sustained by Diageo’s belief that Africa, apart from being a unique place to do business, hosts some of the world’s most unique creative talents.

Adetu’s words: “Africa is a different place and is home to some of the world’s best talent. In the 10 years of running these awards we have seen the emergence of some of the best business writers in the continent. This year in particular Nigeria has shone providing five finalists, the highest from a single country across Africa. We are proud of this development and are committed to ensuring that Nigeria is very well represented going forward.”

The organisers are optimistic that the Awards will continue to attract more investors to Africa by celebrating the professional excellence of journalists that script genuine stories on the African economy thereby drawing global attention to the opportunities in Africa.

“The Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards celebrate their achievements,” according to Adetu, because, “the Awards recognise the fact that more and better business journalism plays an important role in Africa’s investment flows. We believe that better and more accurate reporting generates more business interest on the continent.”

Categories in the awards include Best Information and Communication Technology (ICT) feature, Best Finance feature, Best Infrastructure feature, Best Tourism feature, Best Business News story, Best Newcomer, Media of the Year and Journalist of the Year, amongst others.

In these 10 years, the Awards have impacted positively on the African continent by beaming it in good light across the world, attracting investors to Africa in the process. “Over the last decade, the strength and depth of reporting on business in Africa has increased significantly, and perceptions of Africa as an investment destination have changed for the better. Investors are taking Africa seriously and changing perceptions of Africa is an important step in improving the continent’s investment climate,” according to Managing Director.

Nominees have been formally notified and would be flown to and from London courtesy of the organisers. Mr. Adetu said that Diageo will continue to encourage the media in the bid for professional rendition of African business stories.

•Photo shows Umunna, who won the Diageo Award in 2005.