2026 Winners’ Summaries

Outstanding In-House Security Manager/Director 
Micheal Boniface, CFE,CPP,PSP,PCI,PFSO,M.SC,MSIS,FISN – Sterling Financial Holding 

“As Group Chief Security Officer of Sterling Financial Holdings, Boniface spearheaded a transformation of the Group’s security and HSE function into a modern, intelligence-led, and technology-driven operation. Under his leadership, the Group strengthened its security and safety posture, embedded a robust culture of vigilance, and positioned security as a strategic enabler across all business units. 

His efforts enhanced organisational resilience, operational efficiency, and positioned the Group for sustainable growth while maintaining the highest standards of safety and protection.” 

Judges commended Michael Boniface’s leadership, noting how his strategic integration of security with enterprise risk, compliance, and operational governance drove measurable business value, including an estimated ₦900 million in risk-loss prevention and Sterling Group’s ISO 9001 certification. His mentorship of emerging security professionals, active industry engagement, and alignment with international excellence benchmarks demonstrate sustained operational impact and a clear quantification of value delivered. 

Outstanding Contract Security Manager/Director  
Joshua Ifewulu – Halogen Group 

“As Operations and Service Manager for the Dangote Refinery and Lagos Island 2, Joshua Ifewulu successfully translated complex security frameworks into high-performance outcomes. He modernised oversight by implementing digitised supervision dashboards and area-based frameworks, achieving an 89% personnel integrity rating. 

Joshua shifted the culture from reactive guarding to proactive risk management through structured escalation protocols and weekly retraining. His focus on “”people-centred leadership”” significantly stabilised the workforce and ensured 89% of operatives attained professional certification. By fostering strategic partnerships with government agencies and community stakeholders, he established a collaborative governance model that successfully supported the Refinery’s transition from construction to” 

Judges highlighted this submission as the most differentiated in the category, praising the execution-focused, evidence-based leadership that drove operational reforms, structured reporting, supervision improvements, and measurable governance uplift at a large industrial site. The integration of people, process, and technology, combined with a clear transformation narrative, underscores sustained impact and positions the entry as the strongest candidate in the field. 

Outstanding Contract Security Company (Guarding)  
Halogen Group 

With a nationwide workforce of 20,000+ personnel across 36 states, Halogen has redefined manned guarding through a dual-layered model of regional frontline leadership and centralised Command Centers. By integrating real-time technology, including Guard Tour Devices and predictive analytics. Halogen achieved a 69% reduction in incident response times and an 89% boost in operational efficiency. Its commitment to professional development and ISO 9001:2015 standards has lowered attrition to under 9% while maintaining a 91% client satisfaction rate. These measurable successes in high-risk sectors like aviation and critical infrastructure establish Halogen as a benchmark for modern, intelligence-driven security. 

Judges praised Halogen’s structured, evidence-based leadership, noting how its national-scale command-centre oversight, KPI-driven management, and integration of technology, frontline leadership, and compliance frameworks delivered measurable operational improvements. With over 20,000 trained personnel across Nigeria and a 39% to 28% reduction in critical incident response times, the submission demonstrates differentiated performance, operational intelligence, and sustained impact, reinforcing the company’s position as a category leader. 

Outstanding Security Training Initiative   
Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) – Halogen Group (Academy Halogen)  

“Academy Halogen’s Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) for the M2M Foundation transformed humanitarian safety from passive exposure to proactive resilience. By utilising high-pressure simulations and scenario-based learning, the program addressed threats like civil unrest and targeted attacks. 

The impact was definitive: incident rates plummeted from 60% to under 20% monthly. Post-training assessments showed 99% of aid workers improved threat identification, while 97% reported increased confidence under stress. This initiative significantly bolstered “”Duty of Care”” compliance and established a scalable, high-performance framework for humanitarian security, ensuring personnel can deliver life-saving services safely in Nigeria’s most volatile regions.” 

Judges commended the HEAT training initiative for its highly structured, scenario-driven approach, which delivered measurable response-time improvements, strong retention outcomes, and enhanced operational readiness in high-risk environments. By combining operational realism with sustainable, coherent program design, it set a new standard for humanitarian safety training and positioned the submission as the leading entry in its category. 

Outstanding Security Installer/Integrator  
Halogen Group 

“Halogen is a premier systems integrator in Nigeria, specialising in mission-critical security for diplomatic missions, oil and gas, and national infrastructure. Their excellence is defined by intelligent integration, exemplified by unified surveillance and access control at the South African High Commission and national-scale deployments like 4,000+ vehicle speed-limiters for IHS Towers. 

By combining advanced IP-based analytics and solar-powered solutions with disciplined project governance, Halogen delivers measurable operational efficiency and enhanced situational awareness. With a performance-driven culture and 90%+ audit compliance in aviation and critical sectors, Halogen sets the industry benchmark for scalable, resilient, and technologically superior security installations.” 

Judges praised Halogen’s mission-critical system integration, highlighting advanced IP systems, intelligent analytics, and structured project management that delivered measurable operational improvements and demonstrated sector-leading performance across government, financial, and critical infrastructure clients in Nigeria. 

Outstanding Female Security Professional  
Victoria Nkemdilim Ogbuehi – Nigeria Bottling Company  

I began my career in law enforcement with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), gaining strong foundations in security operations, intelligence, and risk mitigation. I transitioned into corporate security at Coca-Cola HBC Nigeria, progressing from Security Operations Manager to Senior Risk & Resilience Manager, leading enterprise risk, business continuity, and security infrastructure projects exceeding €10 million, and earning the Legacy Award for Impact. I now lead national security operations across eight manufacturing plants and distribution networks, overseeing 900 personnel. In 2025, I strengthened product flow controls, increasing operational coverage by 31%, reducing discrepancies by 19%, and driving recoveries. 

Judges applauded Victoria’s enterprise-wide leadership, noting her integration of governance frameworks, KPI-driven management, and stakeholder engagement, which delivered measurable performance improvements across eight manufacturing plants and 900 personnel. Her influence extends beyond operations through professional advocacy, sector participation, and global thought leadership, positioning her as the strongest entry in the category. 

Outstanding Young Security Professional  
Segun Ajala – Sahara Group  

Building on a strong foundation from the Nigerian Navy and a successful transition into hospitality security at Eko Hotels, I demonstrated early leadership and operational excellence in managing complex security environments. In my current role as Security Coordinator at Sahara Group Limited, Segun Ajala have delivered consistent impact through the design and implementation of risk-based security strategies and technology-enabled security solutions aligned with the operational realities of the oil and gas sector. These initiatives have strengthened asset protection, enhanced operational resilience, and ensured sustained business continuity across the organisation. 

Judges recognised Segun’s leadership in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, highlighting his measurable outcomes, scale of influence, and clear business impact. His Nigerian Navy and Eko Hotels experience fostered professional maturity, resilience, and service orientation, enabling him to deliver results across the challenging security and socio-economic landscape of Sahara Group’s oil and gas operations. 

Lifetime Achievement  
Waziri Sokunbi 

Waziri Sokunbi is a pioneering security and life-safety professional with over 20 years of industry leadership. As Founder and Managing Director of H & O Automation Systems Ltd, he transformed a two-man startup into one of Africa’s leading security integration firms, delivering world-class solutions for global organisations including Meta, Oracle, and major financial institutions. Renowned for raising industry standards, developing technical talent, and championing innovation, his work has significantly advanced security excellence across the region. 

Judges highlighted Waziri Sokunbi’s over 20 years of sustained leadership in security system integration, noting his role in building a respected indigenous firm and advancing capacity development and industry standards, with strong impact at the regional level.