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Producer and Presenter of CNBC Africa's daily show ‘Open Exchange,’ Didi Akinyelure, has won the BBC World News Komla Dumor Award.    

BBC made the announcement on Tuesday, stating that Didi is passionate about social entrepreneurs and has covered several stories on those who are transforming the African business landscape.

The BBC World News Komla Dumor Award is an annual BBC award set up to recognise outstanding African journalists. The British media giant said it established the award to celebrate the best in African journalism in memory of Komla Dumor, the Ghanaian journalist who worked for BBC and was the main presenter of its programme Focus on Africa. Dumor died on January 18, 2014 at the age of 41.

"We were looking for a journalist who has the passion, pride and eloquence that Komla Dumor possessed – someone who would be able to follow in his footsteps by telling compelling African stories," said Josephine Hazeley, Deputy Editor for BBC Africa. "Didi particularly excels in telling business stories, which was an area Komla was also passionate about. Komla’s death was a huge loss to everyone at the BBC, and especially the Focus on Africa team, so we’re really pleased to have found a worthy winner of the award that we established in his name.”

Didi is the second African journalist to receive the award. The first recipient in 2015 was Nancy Kacungira, a Ugandan news anchor at KTN in Kenya.

“I am completely overwhelmed and excited to win this prestigious award," Didi said. "I am honoured that the BBC chose me out of hundreds of applicants. Komla Dumor was someone I admired. He told the African story with so much passion for the continent, giving a balanced view and inspiring so many. You could tell that he loved what he did every single day and, I hope with this opportunity, I can continue Komla’s great work.”

A former investment banker, Didi Akinyelure joined CNBC Africa in Lagos in 2013, and has been an anchor of the network's ‘Open Exchange’ for West Africa over the last three years.
 
After winning the award, Didi is expected to spend three months at the BBC headquarters in London beginning in September. BBC said she will attend a course with the BBC Academy, and also work with teams across BBC News on TV, radio and online.  

The two runners up for the award are Olive Burrows and Trevor Ombija, both of whom are Kenyans.