A little over a year after her appointment as Head of Facebook in Africa, advertising veteran and former CEO of South African advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather Nunu Ntshingila has been inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 2016 Loerie Awards.

Ntshingila dedicated the award to young women. "Thank you for recognising the people who create the environment where creativity thrives. And again, thank you - I understand it is the first time a woman is in the hall of fame. Every day I go around the world and here in Africa and I see amazing women do fantastic things and I am so glad that you have given me this recognition. This award is for you, for all the women here in South Africa to say that the gender diversity discussion is just beginning. It is not over by any stretch of the imagination."

Ntshingila urged girls and women to open their minds to opportunities even in the face of prejudice. She also thanked her family, friends, fellow inductee Robyn Putter, as well as her current employer during her acceptance speech.

"I also want to thank my new family, Facebook. Thank you for challenging me everyday Facebook and making sure that my tomorrows are even better than my yesterdays. Thank you so much. We believe that we bring the technology where creativity thrives. Facebook is nothing without the amazing ideas that build businesses, that build humanity, to make sure that we live in a world that is open and connected."

Industry colleague and current CEO of Ogilvy & Mather, Abey Mokgwatsane says "patience, resilience and courage" have set Ntshingila apart in the in her corporate career.

New award sponsorship

Facebook revealed that it will make its 'Facebook Challenge' an official Loerie Award in the Student Category from 2017.

"We want to go beyond sponsorship to helping develop young, diverse talent, through programmes and activities such as Made on Mobile and Hack for Good. We believe that any teen with a phone can become a marketing expert or an entrepreneur. Facebook sees a future of mobi-entrepreneurs in Africa and we will help them unlock their creativity with the power of technology," summed Ntshingila in an announcement issued by Facebook alongside the award show.

Ntshingila says she regards mobile as "the creative canvas of our time whose use African professionals will define in the years to come."