Seinye Lulu-Briggs Bags Best of Africa Lifetime Achievement Award
Nigerian industrialist and philanthropist, Dr Seinye O. B. Lulu-Briggs, has received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Best of Africa Awards in London in recognition of her contributions to business, philanthropy and humanitarian development spanning more than four decades.
The award was presented at the Best of Africa Awards Dinner held at The Peninsula Hotel, London, where personalities from across Africa and the diaspora gathered to celebrate leadership, enterprise and philanthropy under the theme, Unity.
Dr Lulu-Briggs, Executive Chairman of Moni Pulo Limited and Chairman and Founder of the O. B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, has combined business leadership with sustained efforts to improve the lives of underserved and vulnerable communities.
Established in 2011, the Best of Africa Awards celebrates Africans whose professional achievements have translated into contributions to society. Previous honourees include Mohamed Salah, Yaya Touré, Sir Mo Farah, Angélique Kidjo, Ozwald Boateng, Eniola Aluko and Luol Deng.
The 2026 edition brought together leaders from business, entertainment, sports and philanthropy, recognising Africans whose influence extends beyond personal success to community development.
Dr Lulu-Briggs’ selection for the Lifetime Achievement Award reflects her leadership across several sectors of the Nigerian economy and her philanthropic work across generations.
Her professional career began in 1981 at the Central Bank of Nigeria, where she was among the pioneer staff of its Computer Services Department. She later became Head of Computer Operations, at a time when relatively few Nigerian women held senior technical and management positions in the field.
She subsequently worked in commercial banking, technology, land and marine leasing, haulage, hospitality, manufacturing and energy, building a career spanning business development, institutional leadership and enterprise creation.
In the energy industry, Dr Lulu-Briggs has played a leadership role at Moni Pulo Limited, one of Nigeria’s pioneering indigenous oil and gas exploration and production companies.
Having served as Executive Vice Chairman from 2005, with responsibilities covering government relations, regulatory compliance and sustainability, she now serves as Executive Chairman, providing strategic direction for the company’s operations and long-term development.
Among her current priorities is an initiative to commercialise approximately one trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, with potential implications for domestic energy supply, industrial development and Nigeria’s wider energy sector.
Her career has demonstrated the role of indigenous enterprise in economic development and the capacity of African women to lead complex organisations and build businesses.
Beyond business, Dr Lulu-Briggs’ humanitarian work through the O. B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation has remained central to her public service.
Established in September 2001 in honour of her late husband, High Chief Dr O. B. Lulu-Briggs, the Foundation initially focused on the welfare of neglected older persons. It has since expanded into healthcare, elder care, education, social welfare and community development.
In September 2026, the Foundation marked its 25th anniversary, celebrating interventions across Nigeria’s Niger Delta and other communities.
According to its anniversary records, the Foundation’s humanitarian programmes have reached an estimated 2.12 million people, with cumulative expenditure exceeding ₦3.52 billion.
Healthcare remains one of its major areas of intervention. Through its Free Medical Mission programme, the organisation has provided medical services to more than 178,000 beneficiaries, including consultations, surgical procedures, dental treatment, eye care and other essential services.
The Foundation has also distributed more than 34,000 corrective eyeglasses to improve access to vision care.
Its 50th Free Medical Mission, held in September 2026 at Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, formed part of its silver jubilee celebrations, bringing medical professionals and volunteers together to provide free healthcare to underserved populations.
The Foundation’s Care for Life programme, established in 2001 to support older persons, has enrolled 781 elderly beneficiaries, providing food, healthcare assistance, companionship and other essential services.
The programme has also provided more than 191,000 weekday meals to address the nutritional and welfare needs of older people who may lack adequate support.
Dr Lulu-Briggs’ commitment to the dignity of older persons was further demonstrated in September 2026 when the Foundation, in collaboration with Peace Haven Foundation, convened the Dignity of Ageing Conference in Port Harcourt.
The conference brought together experts and stakeholders to discuss brain health, dementia, caregiving and the challenges associated with ageing in contemporary African societies. It also extended the Foundation’s work into public education, advocacy and efforts to improve elder care.
Under Dr Lulu-Briggs’ leadership, the Foundation has expanded its interventions into social justice, mediation and the protection of vulnerable women.
Its initiatives include a dedicated mediation facility and legal assistance for women facing abuse, dispossession and other forms of injustice.
The programmes reflect an approach to humanitarian service that addresses not only immediate needs but also poverty, exclusion and unequal access to justice.
Following the death of her husband, Dr Lulu-Briggs assumed greater responsibility for preserving and expanding the charitable legacy associated with his name.
Over the years, she has strengthened the Foundation’s institutional structure, broadened its programmes and sustained its humanitarian activities amid economic and social changes.
The organisation’s work has evolved from occasional charitable interventions into sustained programmes with measurable outcomes.
The 2026 Best of Africa Awards also recognised other Africans and people of African heritage for contributions spanning public service, business, sports, entertainment, philanthropy and social advocacy.
Among the recipients was Baroness June Sarpong, who received the Unity Award in recognition of her legacy of excellence and contributions. The award was presented by Kingsley Pungong.