The British American Tobacco of Nigeria (BATN) has been honoured with a special recognition award for its outstanding contributions to innovation, digital transformation, and enterprise leadership across Africa at the 2025 CIO & C-Suite Awards Africa, held in Lagos recently.
According to a statement made available to BusinessDay, the award underscores BATN’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology, data-driven insights, and strategic partnerships to enhance operational excellence, foster sustainable growth, and strengthen its role as a forward-thinking enterprise in Africa’s evolving digital economy.
“Being recognised with the Africa CIO Award is truly an honour,” said Yarub Al-Bahrani, managing director of BATN. “This award is proof of the dedication of our people and the strength of our vision.”
He added that: “At BATN, we believe that digital transformation is not just about technology, but also about creating sustainable value, empowering our workforce, and building resilience for the future. From our smart manufacturing systems to AI-powered trade platforms, we are embedding innovation across every facet of our operations.”
According to Al-Bahrani, operations are increasingly driven by digital innovation. The company has implemented the global manufacturing system and integrated factory data into the enterprise data platform, enabling real-time insights and smarter decision-making.
Through initiatives such as the Utility Monitoring System and Smart Boiler project, he said the organisation is optimising energy consumption, reducing downtime, and enhancing overall equipment effectiveness. These efforts have translated into measurable improvements in performance, sustainability, and energy efficiency across its manufacturing footprint.
“Commercially, BATN has taken bold steps in digitisation. Its trade and marketing operations are powered by an AI-enabled digital trade platform, which streamlines execution and provides real-time data on brand performance and market dynamics,” Al-Bahrani said.
He noted that the platform not only improves efficiency but also sharpens the company’s ability to track KPIs and respond quickly to changing consumer needs.
Ultimately, these digital initiatives ensure that BATN is building a more efficient, consumer-focused, and future-ready business; one that can continue to compete effectively and grow sustainably in Nigeria, Al-Bahrani said.
The CIO & C-Suite Awards Africa is a premier platform that celebrates visionary leaders and organisations shaping Africa’s digital and enterprise landscape.
