The 2012 Africa Com Categories reflect the changing digital landscape in Africa.

Best Network Improvement
This award recognises an eye-catching, successful initiative that has significantly improved a network in Africa, since the end of November 2011.

Most Innovative Service
This prize recognises a popular new offering which, from conception to execution, has been an innovation. It could be for the consumer or the enterprise markets, and could be messaging, m-commerce, video, etc. It will be in an African market, and should have offered significant new prospects for revenue & delighting customers since November 2011.

Best Quality User Experience
Customers in Africa are increasingly demanding cool and engaging products, and this category recognises offerings from all sectors – service providers, device manufacturers, broadcasters, app developers, etc. So this award recognises a successful initiative in Africa that’s offered a superior quality of user experience in the past year.

Best Cost Efficiency Initiative for Africa
Recognises an outstanding new initiative from a telecoms or ICT solution provider, or from an operator/ service provider (mobile, wireless, fixed or ISP), which has enabled greater cost-efficiency in the provision of telecoms, media and ICT services in Africa since November 2011.

Rural Telecoms Award
Recognises an exceptional vendor solution, or operator/service provider initiative or service, which has extended and/or improved telecommunications services in rural and under-served Africa since November 2011.

Best Backhaul Solution for Africa
This award recognises a fibre, satellite, or wireless solutions provider that has significantly improved backhaul capacity, with measurable improvements in quality and reliability of service, in Africa since November 2011.

Best Marketing Campaign
Recognises an inspiring and effective marketing campaign (can include new brand launch), advertising campaign, or innovative distribution strategy, launched by an operator/ service provider in Africa since November 2011.

Best Smart-Device for Africa
This category recognises the innovation and creativity taking place in the African device market since November 2011. Smart-phones, net-books, and other smart devices strive to cater to the continent’s particular challenges and opportunities at the right price – which has succeeded?

Best Pan African Initiative
Recognises an initiative taken by an organisation or a group of organisations to improve telecommunications services at a regional or continental level across Africa since November 2011.

The 2012 Mobile Data and Social Media Award
Mobile data, apps and online communities are the next growth areas in Africa’s mobile industry, so this award recognises innovation and creativity in the world of mobile data and social media – whether it is a new app, a social networking platform, popular content/media or successful data services – this category highlights the latest and leading initiatives from digital Africa.

Industry Personality of the Year
This illustrious award is in honour of the most upstanding and inspiring figures working in Africa’s telecoms, ICT and media industries – the winner will be nominated and voted for by their peers.

Changing Lives Award
This special award recognises an inspiring initiative that has significantly impacted African telecommunications in the community and contributed to economic and social development since November 2011.

AfricApps Awards

To celebrate the launch of AfricApps at AfricaCom this year, we will celebrate the winning entrants of the following App-focused awards:

Best Smart-Phone App in Africa
This will be recognising the next African ‘Angry Birds’, the interactive smart-phone application which is showing the most innovation in engaging the content hungry consumer.

Best Feature-Phone App in Africa
This category recognises innovation in feature phone native applications. These are the apps that are dominating the African market and providing entertainment, education or enterprise opportunities to the consumer

Orange African Social Venture Prize

Sponsors Orange are also offering the Orange African Social Venture Prize, entries for this award must be made directly to Orange. Find out more and apply