They are good ambassadors for Nigeria, men and women majority of who rose organically to the very top in their respective callings. A coterie set apart by their shared commitment to excellence. The Board of Editors of THISDAY Group, on Thursday night, unveiled the promising young men and women as winners in the “Young Global Leaders” category of the Group’s Commemoration Awards.
Applications for this category were legion, attesting to the nation’s growing youth strength, especially those doing well for themselves in different fields of human endeavour. But the THISDAY Board of Editors pruned the number down to a lucky few.
Starting with the Queen of Warri Kingdom, Olori Ivie Atunwase III, the other winners in the category include the CEO of Niger Delta Power Company, Jennifer Adighije; Chairman of Sun Newspaper, Neya Uzor Kalu; and co-founder and CEO of Paystack, Shola Akinlade.
Also making the list are CEO of Konga Group, Nnamdi Ekeh; Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Khalil Halilu; CEO of AA&R Investment, Abdullahi Bashir Haske; and CEO of Flutterwave, Olugbenga Agboola.
Other winners in the category are Co-founder of Flutterwave, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji; singer and songwriter, Temilade Openiyi, professionally known as Tems, and her colleague, Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, with the stage name, Ayra Starr, Folake Akindele, founder of Tiffany Amber.
A renowned chess player, Tunde-Onakoya; Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong from Cross Rivers State; and a member of the House of Representatives, Ibrahim Bello Mohammed, also made the list of the lucky winners.
The winners, who cut across different walks of life – from tech to music, finance, art and politics, among others – are established to have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields and, by their choices, put the country on the world map, particularly, in positive contexts.
Closely following this category is the Philanthropist of the Year Award, which boasts heavyweights, like the Dangote Foundation, NLNG Prize for Literature, United Bank for Africa Foundation, Fidelity Bank Foundation, and the MTN Foundation.
In recognition of their contributions to nation-building and their respective accomplishments in the course of their careers, some prominent Nigerians have been named winners of the THISDAY Lifetime Achievement Awards.
They are former President Goodluck Jonathan; advertising guru, Biodun Shobanjo; Aminu Bello Masari; Olusegun Osunkeye; Atedo Peterside; Fola Adeola; Udoma Udo Udoma; Chris Okeke; Hakeem Belo-Osagie; former Senate President, David Mark; Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi; Martin Luther Agwai; Mustafa Chike-Obi; and Professor Ango Abdulahi.
This award category recognises and pays homage to these living patriots, who have done the country proud in many respects and in spite of their ages and current dispositions, have not ceased to put the nation first.
In the category for Transaction of the Year, the nominees are the Mobil-Seplat deal, AGIP-OANDO deal, TotalEnergies-Chappal transaction and the Shell-Renaissance Spa and Bank of Industry, BoI’s 2 billion Euro transaction.
The Nominees for Government Agency of the Year are Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), National Orientation Agency (NOA), and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
FULL LIST OF THE NOMINEES
NOMINEES: GOVERNMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
Perhaps, one of the greatest achievements of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, was the restoration of confidence in the apex bank and the economy in general.
At the inception of the current leadership of the bank, there was Foreign Exchange (FX) liabilities to the tune of $7 billion which remained unsettled, thereby eroding confidence of international investors in the country.
The CBN had also directed banks to raise their minimum capital thresholds by March 31, 2026 through a range of options including equity issuance, mergers, or license adjustments as well as deployed crucial monetary policy tools to unlock economic potential and achieved key macroeconomic successes that had eluded previous administration.
Among other things, the CBN had liberalised the Foreign Exchange (FX) segment, anf floated the Naira, allowing market forces to determine the value of the local currency leading to price discovery, and further serving as incentives for foreign investors.
NUPRC
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) was established shortlty after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) in 2021 to replace the Department of Petroleum Resource (DPR). It is a department under the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. It monitors the oil and gas industry to ensure compliance with petroleum laws, regulations and guidelines in the sector. It also oversees the safety and other regulations that relate to the exportation and importation of the products into the country. Mr. Gbenga Komolafe who heads the commission, is ensuring that it discharges its responsibilities of monitoring operations at drilling sites, production wells, platforms and flow stations, crude oil export terminals, and all pipelines carrying crude oil, natural gas effectively.
NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE (NCS)
No doubt, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) leadership under the current Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Mr. Bashir Adeniyi, has continued to live up to its key mandate of trade facilitation and revenue mobilisation for the government to meet its development aspirations.
Recently, the services said it realised its N5.07 trillion revenue target for 2024, having collected N5.10 trillion as of November 12, and barely 48 days to the end of the fiscal year. The historic performance was projected to exceed its target by 10 per cent by the end of 2024.
The revenue success was attributed to the strategic engagements and collaborative approaches introduced by the leadership at the inception of office which had yielded remarkable results across customs’ core statutory responsibilities.
NOA
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) is the body tasked with communicating government policy, staying abreast of public opinion, raising awareness, positively changing attitudes, values and behaviours; accurately and adequately inform; and sufficiently mobilise citizens to act in ways that promote peace, harmony, national unity, hard work and patriotism and development of Nigerian society. The main objectives of the agency, as provided in Decree 100 of 1993, are to ensure that government programmes and policies are better understood by the general public. The agency, which had been dormant in recent years, has been revived by the new Director General, Lanre Issa-Onilu, and it is discharging its core functions effectively now.
FIRS
Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is the agency responsible for assessing, collecting and accounting for tax and other revenues accruing to the federal government. The organisation contributes 70 per cent of the total revenues for the federation. In 2023, it witnessed unprecedented progress in revenue collection, culminating in a remarkable achievement of N12.3 trillion. It set an ambitious revenue collection target of N19.4 trillion for the year 2024. The Chairman of the agency, Mr. Zacch Adedeji, in early 2024, stressed that the target was achievable with the emplacement of an effective tax collection system and creating of a viable economic environment for businesses to prosper.
NOMINEES: TRANSACTION OF THE YEAR
THE MOBIL-SEPLAT DEAL
The Mobil-Seplat deal is a strong contender for Deal of the Year. Recently, in a landmark transaction, Seplat Energy acquired ExxonMobil’s onshore assets in Nigeria for over $800 million. The deal not only marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s energy sector but also underscored Seplat’s commitment to expanding its operations and increasing its oil production capacity.
The acquisition included the purchase of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU), which holds a 40 per cent operating stake in four OMLs. The deal is expected to increase Seplat’s production capacity to approximately 120,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.
Overall, the Mobil-Seplat deal is seen as a game-changer for Nigeria’s energy sector, and its impact will likely be felt for years to come.
AGIP-OANDO DEAL
Oando’s acquisition of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) from Eni, has been variously described as a landmark transaction. A deal worth around $783 million, it marked a significant milestone in Oando’s strategy to expand its upstream operations and strengthen its position in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The acquisition increased Oando’s participating interests in OMLs 60, 61, 62, and 63 from 20 per cent to 40 per cent. The deal has been recognised as a game-changer in the industry, with Oando winning the “Deal of the Year” award at Africa Energy Week 2024.
The acquisition is expected to contribute significantly to Oando’s cash flow and increase the company’s total reserves by 98 per cent. Oando plans to double its oil output to 100,000 barrels per day.
TOTALENERGIES-CHAPPAL TRANSACTION
TotalEnergies’ successful divestment of its 10 per cent stake to Chappal Energies for $860 million makes it a strong contender for Deal of the Year. The acquisition of key TotalEnergies’ assets by the company provides Chappal Energies with new opportunities for growth and expansion in Nigeria’s energy sector.
The acquisition is expected to raise Nigeria’s oil production in several ways and contribute to Nigeria’s overall oil production. It will also bring in new investment and expertise, which can help to improve the efficiency and productivity of the acquired assets. This, in turn, can lead to increased oil production.
SHELL-RENAISSANCE SPA
Underscoring what has been described as their collective resilience after an initial rejection, Shell and Renaissance Consortium recently got the approval of the federal government for a Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA).
The deal marked a significant milestone in the country’s energy sector, as it increased local ownership and participation in the industry.
Through the deal, the Renaissance Consortium, comprising ND Western, Aradel Holdings, and Waltersmith, First E&P, Petrolin, acquired Shell’s 30 per cent stake in 19 Oil OMLs and related infrastructure.
This acquisition is expected to have a positive impact on Nigeria’s energy sector, as it will increase local content and participation, raise oil production capacity as well as increase revenue for the country.
BANK OF INDUSTRY (BOI)
The Bank of Industry (BoI) is the country’s oldest, largest and most successful Development Finance Institution (DFI) with the mandate to transform the country’s industrial sector by providing financial assistance for the establishment of large, medium and small enterprises, and rehabilitation of ailing ones; as well as drive expansion, diversification, and modernisation, of existing enterprises.
Under the leadership of its current Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, BoI has supported projects with potential developmental impact, and the capability to generate considerable multiplier effects such as industrialisation, job creation, and poverty alleviation, all of which would have significant positive effects on the socio-economic condition of Nigerians.
The DFI has continued to support growth across various sectors with particular focus on MSME, gender businesses, infrastructure, youth development, technology, climate and sustainability.
The bank recently concluded a €2 billion senior phase global loan syndication – representing an oversubscription from International financial markets.
The facility included a fully guaranteed and a partially guaranteed tranche by Africa Finance Corporation (IFC).
Previously BoI had raised
€1billion via a Term Loan syndicated facility in July 2022, which had been successfully repaid in July 2024. The performance of the syndication remained a mark of confidence in the bank and the Nigerian economy by foreign investors who perceive a bright future for the country.
Furthermore, the IFC announced that it was set to onboard BoI and some deposit money banks to enable them access long term, low interest funding to support Nigeria’s fragile industries.
BoI also signed a $50 million portfolio guarantee agreement with Guarantee Fund (AGF) to unlock unprecedented financing to for women entrepreneurs, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and green businesses in the country.
The portfolio, which is in support of the African Development Bank (AfDB)’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA), guarantees of up to N75 billion, and remains a landmark initiative that ushers a new chapter for small businesses which have struggled with limited access to finance, and unlocks unprecedented opportunities for small businesses.
The bank has also disbursed over N496.72 billion loans to 75,809 beneficiaries including large, medium, small and micro enterprises in 2023.
WINNERS OF YOUNG GLOBAL LEADERS…
JENNIFER ADIGHIJE
A seasoned engineer with nearly two decades of cognate experience spanning diverse functions across the private and public sectors, Jennifer Adighije, the current Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), started her career at the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
She later moved to Globacom where she worked to create cutting-edge value-added services which propelled her to Helios Towers Nig., as head of the company’s project management office. She later joined the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) at managerial level.
A social-entrepreneurship advocate, Jennifer is a Patron of Digi-Tech empowerment foundation for youths, where she dedicates her time and resources to fostering digital inclusion by bridging access gaps for digitally vulnerable young people.
A member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the high-flying Adighije who was picked to head the NDPHC months ago, was Senior Special Assistant to the president before his latest appointment.
OLORI IVIE ATUWATSE III
The Queen of the Warri Kingdom, Olori Atuwatse III, is a lawyer, social entrepreneur and wife of Ogiame Atuwatse III, current ruler of the Kingdom of Warri, and the 21st Olu of Warri.
Olori Atuwatse III has been involved in several endeavours targeting women and children, including the Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo Stem Innovation Centre, which she established in honour of her late father.
She has also initiated several intervention programmes for the poor and vulnerable in Delta State, visiting oil rich slums suffering the effects of environmental degradation.
An advocate for children’s rights, particularly the empowerment of female children, Olori Atuwatse III, has endowed hundreds of children with scholarships, promoted access to free healthcare, especially for the poor, as well as several welfare outreaches, focused on women, children and the elderly.
NEYA UZOR-KALU
Neya Uzor-Kalu is the Chairman and Publisher of The Sun Nigeria, a reputable Nigerian news outlet. She is also the founder and CEO of Basecoat Nigeria, a nail salon chain changing the face of the nail industry in Nigeria.
Neya has a degree in Law and an MSc. in Finance from the University of Buckingham, United Kingdom. She has over 14 years experience crafting and implementing business initiatives across industries.
She had previously worked in the banking sector as Human Resource Manager before her appointment as Chairman/Publisher of the Sun Nigeria. She leads the Board on strategic matters, establishing high corporate governance system, and oversees the company’s business.
In addition, Neya is the Vice-Chairman of Sun Heavens Hotels and Resorts. She has a strong interest in social issues and a desire to empower women, working closely with the OUK Foundation to contribute to the achieving key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
SHOLA AKINLADE
Shola Akinlade is a young Nigerian software engineer and entrepreneur making inroads into the global payment market. He is the co-founder and CEO of Paystack, the company that he founded with Ezra Olubi.
Paystack is a Nigerian financial technology company that offers online and offline payment processing services to businesses in Nigeria and across African countries. The company was acquired by Irish-American financial services company, Stripe, for $200 million in 2020, but its headquarters is located in Lagos, Nigeria.
As a digital payment company, Paystack allows merchants to receive payments from customers across the globe, and it has partnered several banks in Nigeria to facilitate payments.
NNAMDI EKEH
Nnamdi Ekeh is a seasoned entrepreneur, economist, and the Chief Executive Officer of Konga Group, with multiple thriving business verticals across health, logistics, fintech, and travel industries.
Konga is an e-Commerce company that was acquired by Zinox Group in 2018 from previous majority investors, Naspers and AB Kinnevik. Two years after its acquisition, Ekeh transformed Konga Online into a leading composite e-Commerce giant in Africa.
Today, Konga has become Nigeria’s foremost composite e-commerce giant, with the introduction of several sales promos that offer discounts of 70 per cent.
He holds a B.A. in Economics and Politics from the University of Lancaster, an MBA from Oxford University, and has successfully completed senior management programmes at Harvard University and Lagos Business School.
KHALIL HALILU
Since 2023 when 34-year-old Khalil Halilu was appointed the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), he has remained committed to his new vision for the agency.
This is to fast-track the delivery of market-ready products that would bring down cost of living for Nigerians, improve the quality of life, promote efficiency, amplify national pride, and support the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
A few months ago, the agency under his leadership inaugurated the all-in-one Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Engineering, Training and Conversion facility, which was developed as a joint venture between the NASENI and private sector partners, Portland and Dana Motors.
He is repositioning NASENI with the 3Cs: Creation, Collaboration and Commercialisation; increasing the agency’s valued investments to $3.25 billion; launching 35 market-ready products; unveiling the Accelerated Technology Transfer Framework; advancing Nigeria’s industrialisation efforts and developing the 2023-2027 Strategic Launchpad.
ABDULLAHI BASHIR ‘HASKE’
Haske is the founder of AA & R Investment Group, a Nigerian conglomerate with diversified interests in a variety of industries, including agriculture, energy, logistics, and information and communication technology.
As the Group Managing Director, he provides executive leadership and champions the strategic objectives of the group. He has a proven track record of successfully establishing thriving commercial ventures across industries.
He started his entrepreneurial journey in 2005 trading in refined petroleum products and agro-commodities as well as providing general contracting services to public and private sector organisations. Haske’s flagship investment in the agricultural sector is H & W Rice Company Limited, a large scale integrated rice miller with annual production capacity of 48,000 tons of paddy and regarded as one of the largest rice mills in Northeast Nigeria.
His entrepreneurial vision and passion for inclusive development also birthed the establishment of Manomi Support Services Limited, a community based large scale agricultural primary production company with 15,000 hectares of agricultural land under management across various states in Nigeria.
The group’s agribusiness operations currently provide direct and indirect employment and socio-economic opportunities to over 2,000 Nigerians. He is also the founder of Mars Exploration and Production Limited, an indigenous exploration and production company as well as the Etihad Oilfield Services Limited.
OLUGBENGA AGBOOLA
Olugbenga Agboola is an entrepreneur that has years of experience in building scalable financial technology firms. He is the Co-founder & CEO of Flutterwave, a payments technology company headquartered in San Francisco with operations and offices across Africa and Europe.
Flutterwave was launched with the goal to build digital payments infrastructure for Africa and enable businesses receive or make any payments across Africa and globally. Since it commenced operations, Flutterwave has emerged a leading player in the payment ecosystem.
It has been recipient of several prestigious awards including the “Best Technology Platform” as awarded by The Asian Banker, the “Top 100 Fintech Firms”, among others. Prior to co-founding Flutterwave, Agboola contributed to the development of fintech solutions at several tech companies and financial institutions such as PayPal, Standard Bank, among others.
IYINOLUWA ABOYEJI
Iyinoluwa Aboyeji co-founded two successful start-ups in Africa before co-founding Flutterwave in 2017. With $15.7 million in funding, the payments company is empowering Pan-African merchants to execute business on global scale.
Aboyeji’s previous start-up, Andela, gained attention when the venture received $24 million in funding from Mark Zuckerberg. Born in Lagos on March 28, 1991, he attended Primary School at St Saviour’s Primary School Ebute-Metta, Lagos.
After earning his secondary school certificate from the Loyola Jesuit College in Abuja in 2007, he continued to the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies. Today, Flutterwave is a billion-dollar global payments platform connecting African businesses and individuals to the global economy.
TEMS
Born Temilade Openiyi, Tems is one of the young female artists driving the global spotlight towards Nigeria’s music industry. In 2024 alone, she made headlines with a string of remarkable milestones.
Her debut studio album release ‘Born in the Wild’ shattered Spotify records, becoming the biggest streaming day for a female Nigerian artiste with 8.028 million streams. She has also led nominations in the 2025 Grammys for Nigerian artists, fetching three nods in the Best African Music Performance, Best Global Music Album and Best R&B Song categories.
For the latter, she holds the record as the only indigenous African musician to break into the R&B category at the Grammys. In March 2024, the 29-year-old artiste received the Breakthrough Award at the 2024 edition of the Billboard Women in Music, becoming the first African woman to attain this feat.
Her song ‘Love Me Jeje,’ inspired by the 1997 song by Seyi Sodimu ranked number one on Rolling Stone’s 40 Best Afropop Songs of 2024.
AYRA STARR
2024 was the year Nigeria’s afrobeats star Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, better known as Ayra Starr, cemented her status as a force in the music industry. Signed to Mavin Records, the 22-year-old released her sophomore album, titled ‘The Year I Turned 21’ which featured international collaborations like Coco Jones, Giveon, Anitta and Coldplay. Starr also supported Coldplay on their Music of the Spheres World Tour in Australia and New Zealand.
The album received rave reviews and entered the Billboard 200 at No. 195, making Starr the first Nigerian female artist to achieve this milestone. In another historic achievement, she became the first Nigerian female artist to surpass 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify, driven by the viral success of ‘Santa,’ a collaboration with Jamaican producer Rvssian and Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro.
TUNDE ONAKOYA
Thirty-year-old Tunde Onakoya, is a Nigerian chess player and coach, who holds the Guinness World Records for the longest marathon chess game.
On April 20, 2024, Onakoya broke the world chess marathon record in New York, United States. He played for over 60 consecutive hours.
The chess marathon was held in Times Square, New York City, United States. He began with the goal of surpassing the previous world record of 56 hours, 9 minutes, and 37 seconds, set by Norwegian players Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad in 2018.
Onakoya’s initial target was to play for 58 hours, but he pushed the boundaries even further, extending the marathon to a full 60 hours.
As the founder and convener of Chess in Slums Africa, he has organised a number of interventions for children across slums in Lagos State including Majidun (Ikorodu), Makoko and Oshodi.
IBRAHIM BELLO MOHAMMED
Ibrahim Bello Mohammed, popularly known as IBM, is the Member House of Representatives member from Birnin-Kebbi, Kalgo and Bunza Federal Constituency in Kebbi State.
He is a 28 year-old son of a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, Dr. Bello Haliru and younger brother to the late lawyer, Abba Bello Mohammed.
Mohammed has been deploying his youthful prowess to lead the charge for immense growth and development for his constituency.
TIFFANY AMBER BY FOLAKE AKINDELE
Folake Akindele Coker, the founder of Tiffany Amber, hails from a prestigious Lagos, Nigerian family, being the daughter of Chief Bode Akindele, a notable industrialist and philanthropist. Raised in a multicultural environment, she had the opportunity to study in elite institutions across Europe, including Switzerland and the United Kingdom, where she earned a postgraduate degree in petroleum law.
Despite her formal training in law, she pursued her passion for fashion and returned to Nigeria to launch Tiffany Amber in 1998. The brand quickly gained recognition for its luxurious and innovative designs, becoming a symbol of modern African fashion.
In addition to her education and legal background, Folake drew creative inspiration from her exposure to diverse cultures during her formative years. She credits her early travels across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East as shaping her distinct design aesthetic.
By blending African heritage with contemporary fashion trends, she carved out a unique space for Tiffany Amber in the global fashion industry.
Over the years, she has expanded the brand’s influence beyond Nigeria, participating in major international fashion shows and collaborating with global fashion icons. Her pioneering work has earned her awards such as the Africa Fashion International (AFI) Designer of the Year.
ASUQUO EKPEYONG
Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was born on August 25, 1985.
The Investment Banker, and Financial Analyst, is the former Cross River State Commissioner of Finance and is currently the youngest Senator representing Cross River South Senatorial District in the National Assembly. He was also Commissioner for transport and Marine Services, from October 2018 to May 2019.
He worked as a financial analyst in Lagos and then moved to Cross River where he worked for two years as a lecturer in the Banking and Finance Department of the University of Calabar.
He established Iquasu Ventures Limited, a haulage and logistics company, in 2010 and later took over as Managing Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) licensed Chamley Bureau de Change Limited.
Asuquo was later appointed Executive Director for Finance at Pearland Energy, an indigenous Oil and Gas company, and a member of the board of directors at Ekondo Microfinance Bank Limited.
NOMINEES: PHILANTHROPIST OF THE YEAR
UBA FOUNDATION:
PROMOTING EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The UBA Foundation (UBAF), the corporate social responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), has become a pivotal force in supporting education, community welfare, and environmental sustainability in Nigeria.
In 2024, the foundation expanded its impact through the “Each One, Teach One” initiative, which focuses on mentoring students in underserved schools. This programme has reached over 1 million students across Nigeria, equipping them with life skills and career guidance.
Given that Education remains at the heart of the UBA Foundation’s mission, they have given out hundreds of thousands of books across Africa with the ‘Read Africa’ initiative. This programme also ensures that African authors are given priority and promoted as well as investing in them
Also, the annual National Essay Competition, aimed at secondary school students, continues to foster a culture of critical thinking and literacy. In 2024, the competition awarded scholarships to 12 winners, granting them full funding to pursue tertiary education in any Nigerian university.
Beyond education, the foundation also actively engages in community development projects, including equipping hospitals with medical supplies and sponsoring sanitation campaigns.
Through its Tree Planting Campaign, the foundation has contributed to environmental sustainability by planting over 50,000 trees nationwide, promoting awareness about climate change and conservation. They also plan to plant a million trees across Africa this year.
The foundation also supports the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) through the entrepreneurship programme and have organised all the forums, the networking across Africa etc. Additionally, they work with the UNDP in the Sahel region in giving grants.
MTN FOUNDATION:
MAKING SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY
The MTN Foundation, the philanthropic arm of MTN Nigeria, has made significant contributions to improving healthcare, education, and economic empowerment. A leader in using technology for social good, the foundation has focused on reducing the digital divide in Nigeria.
In 2024, the Digital Skills for Tomorrow programme provided training in coding, robotics, and digital marketing to over 30,000 young Nigerians.
This initiative targeted both urban and rural youth, preparing them for careers in the fast-growing tech industry. The foundation also launched a scholarship programme for students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), awarding over 500 fully funded scholarships this year.
Healthcare remains a cornerstone of MTN Foundation’s work. Through its What Can We Do Together initiative, the foundation refurbished primary healthcare centres in rural areas, delivering essential medical equipment and supplies. Additionally, the Yellow Heart Campaign continued to focus on maternal and child health, providing free antenatal care and raising awareness about malnutrition and maternal mortality. In the arts and culture space, MTN Foundation supports emerging Nigerian artists through grants, exhibitions, and mentorship programmes, celebrating Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and enabling creative professionals to thrive.
NLNG:
NIGERIA PRIZE FOR LITERATURE
The Nigeria Prize for Literature, popularly known as the NLNG Prize, stands as one of Africa’s most prestigious literary awards, a philanthropic gesture that not only rewards talent but also reaffirms the enduring value of literature in shaping identities, fostering unity, and driving change.
Instituted by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) company in 2004, this annual award is a philanthropic endeavor aimed at celebrating and promoting Nigerian authors and their contributions to literature. With a monetary reward of $100,000, the prize underscores NLNG’s commitment to fostering literary excellence and preserving the cultural heritage of Nigeria.
Through this initiative, NLNG seeks to inspire creative writing and encourage intellectual discourse within and beyond the country’s borders. By supporting writers across genres—fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature—it serves as a platform to spotlight the richness of Nigerian storytelling and amplify the voices of its authors on the global stage.
Beyond the monetary incentive, the NLNG Prize highlights the transformative power of literature in addressing social, economic, and political issues. It reflects NLNG’s broader commitment to national development, demonstrating how corporate social responsibility can intersect with cultural preservation to inspire future generations of thinkers and writers.
DANGOTE FOUNDATION:
REDEFINING CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), led by Africa’s wealthiest man, Aliko Dangote, has made monumental strides in philanthropy, focusing on poverty alleviation and public health. ADF’s largest programme in 2024 revolved around its nutrition and food security projects, distributing over 50,000 metric tonnes of food items to underserved communities across Nigeria.
Moreover, the foundation has invested significantly in healthcare, constructing hospitals and funding mobile health clinics that deliver free medical services to rural areas. ADF’s recent N10 billion investment in building a state-of-the-art paediatric hospital in Abuja is a testament to its dedication to improving healthcare access for Nigerian children. The foundation also supports education through scholarships and infrastructure development in schools across the country.
FIDELITY BANK:
FINANCIAL INCLUSION FOR GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT
Fidelity Bank has distinguished itself not only as a leading financial institution but also as a key driver of social change in Nigeria. Through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, the bank has focused on financial literacy, women empowerment, and environmental sustainability.
In 2024, Fidelity Bank launched an initiative aimed at equipping rural women with microfinance loans to start or expand small businesses. This programme reached over 20,000 women, providing them with access to financial services previously unavailable to them. Furthermore, the bank implemented financial literacy workshops, teaching participants how to save, budget, and grow their investments.
Fidelity Bank also made strides in education by adopting schools in disadvantaged areas, upgrading facilities, and introducing digital learning tools. Its “Green Earth” initiative, focused on environmental conservation, saw the planting of 100,000 trees nationwide to combat deforestation and climate change.
WINNERS: LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
FORMER PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN
Former President Goodluck Jonathan wrote his name in gold in the history of Nigeria’s democracy when he conceded defeat to the candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 presidential election.
As the incumbent president, Jonathan had the opportunity to manipulate the election and dare the consequences but he not only introduced electoral reforms to ensure free and fair elections, he also conceded defeat before the declaration of the final results.
Many political analysts believe that Jonathan was a victim of the electoral reforms he introduced to promote democracy in Nigeria under his Transformation Agenda.
Since he left office in 2015, he has been working tirelessly with his colleagues in ECOWAS to resolve political crises and stabilise democracy in the sub-region.
BIODUN SHOBANJO
In the field of advertising and marketing communications, the Chairman of Troyka Group, Nigeria’s largest marketing communications conglomerate, Biodun Shobanjo is the undisputable kingmaker.
He established Nigeria’s first Public Relations Consultancy, The Quadrant Company; Nigeria’s first media independent, All Seasons Mediacom, and a second media independent, Media Perspectives.
Under his conglomerate are specialist organisations such as Optimum Exposures, an Out-Of-Home company; and Halogen Security, Nigeria’s No 1 security and risk-mitigation company, which employs over 20,000 people nationwide.
In 2015, Shobanjo turned Troyka into a global giant, when he established an equity partnership with the world’s third largest marketing communications group, Publicis Groupe.
This union created Insight Redefini Group, the communications arm of Troyka Holdings, among others.
AMINU BELLO MASARI
The Chairman of the Board of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Aminu Bello Masari was the Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport in Katsina State from 1991 to 1993; Speaker of House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Katsina State Governor from 2015 to 2023 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He was appointed as the Chairman of the Board of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund in August 2024 by President Bola Tinubu.
Having climbed the ladder from commissioner in Katsina State to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and governor for eight years, Masari has a wealth of experience in public sector management.
OLUSEGUN OSUNKEYE
Osunkeye started his career as an Accountant with Akintola Williams and Co before joining Nestle Nigeria Limited where he rose to become the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer from 1991 to 1999, and Chairman in 1999 until 2013 when he voluntarily retired.
Other positions he held include: Chairman of GlaxoSmithKline, GSK; Chairman of Lafarge/WAPCO; Chairman of International Chamber of Commerce, Nigeria; Chairman of Institute of Directors, IoD; National Vice President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); President of Nigeria’s Employers Consultative Association (NECA); President of International Accounting Standards Board, Nigeria; President of Society for Corporate Governance, Nigeria; and President of Omnibus Business Solutions Limited and Pilot Securities.
ATEDO PETERSIDE
Peterside is the founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Anap Business Jets Limited, and Atedo N. A. Peterside Foundation.
He founded Investment Bank and Trust Company (IBTC), which later metamorphosed into Stanbic-IBTC Bank after a series of mergers over the years.
Peterside founded the bank in 1989, at 33, and resigned in 2017 after running the affairs of the bank for years leading it to the path of profitability and also ensuring the bank lived up to his expectations.
He established Anap Jets Ltd in 2015, and also sat on the boards of The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited and Standard Bank Group Limited.
Peterside announced his exit from the banking business with effect from June 10, 2024.
FOLA ADEOLA
Fola Adeola is a Co-Founder of Guaranty Trust Bank GTBank Plc, a member of the Commission for Africa, and Founder and Chairman of the FATE Foundation.
Adeola, who is currently a director at the bank, had served the bank as the pioneer Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for 12 years.
Before founding Guaranty Trust Bank Plc in 1990, he was the Deputy General Manager & Divisional Head, Financial Services Division of the Continental Merchant Bank Limited. He also served as a manager of the NAL Merchant Bank Plc from 1982-1986. Prior to this experience, he served as a senior auditor at D.O. Dafinone & Co.
Adeola and other co-founders of the bank changed the face of banking in Nigeria with technological innovations.
UDOMA UDO UDOMA
The Chairman of Board of Seplat Energy, Udoma Udo Udoma was founder of Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, a multi-specialisation full service corporate and commercial law firm where he retired from in 2019.
Udoma, an accomplished lawyer and seasoned board administrator, was elected Senator in 1999 and he served for two terms from 1999 to 2007.
He was the first Chairman of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and has also served as the Chairman of the Nigerian Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC). He was the Special Adviser to the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources from September 1993 to March 1994
He was Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and National Planning until the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s first term in office.
DAVID MARK
David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark GCON is a retired Nigerian Army brigadier general and politician.
He served as the 12th president of the Nigerian Senate from 2007 to 2015 and was the Senator for Benue South senatorial district from 1999 to 2019. He is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Before his senatorial career, Mark was the military Governor of Niger State from 1984 to 1986 and is a one-time minister of communication. He is the longest-serving president of the Nigerian Senate.
CHRIS OKEKE
Chris Okeke, an Independent Non-Executive Director of Seplat Energy, co-founded a major Nigerian commercial Law firm, Ajumogobia & Okeke, in 1984, where he served as the managing partner until his retirement in 2009.
He has served on the boards Cadbury Nigeria plc, SO & U Saatchi & Saatchi, Indorama Petrochemicals Nigeria Limited, Asset and Resource Management Limited, ARM Pension Managers (PFA) Limited as Chairman.
Okeke was Ambassador of Nigeria to Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay 2017-2020.
He has served as the Honorary Legal Adviser to successive British High Commissioners and as Legal Advisor to the Embassies of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Royal Kingdom of the Netherlands, Austria, Australia, and Canada in Nigeria.
He acted as counsel to the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the British Council and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
HAKEEM BELO-OSAGIE
Osagie is the Chairman of Metis Capital Partners, which is focused on brokering and delivering large-ticket transactions in Africa to select blue chip international investment partners.
An accomplished Nigerian professional and entrepreneur, he was the Special Assistant to the Presidential Adviser on Petroleum and Energy and also Special Assistant to the Minister of Petroleum and Energy.
These positions put him in a position to close on a few oil deals from where he made his first fortune.
He was the chairman of Etisalat Nigeria, Nigeria’s fourth largest mobile telecom network, until he resigned in 2017.
He is a senior lecturer at Harvard Business school, sits on the board of blue-chip organisations, and was listed by Forbes Magazine as the forty-first richest man in Africa in 2014.
YEMI OGUNBIYI
Yemi Ogunbiyi is a founding Chairman of Tanus Communications, and once served as the Managing Director of Daily Times of Nigeria.
He received his secondary education from the Ibadan Boys High School and later went to the University of Ibadan where he studied English Literature. He then went to New York University for his Masters degree.
Together with notable scholars like Kole Omotosho, Biodun Jeyifo, and Wole Soyinka, Mr Ogunbiyi was part of the Drama and Literature Department of the University of Ife, later renamed Obafemi Awolowo University by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.
He has served as an Executive Director of the Guardian Newspapers in Charge of Public Affairs and Marketing. He also served as a Member of the Global Advisory Board of Repro India Limited.
Ogunbiyi was also a Lecturer at Brooklyn College in the United States after his university education. He would later lecture at the University of Ife (OAU), where he also later became a Pro-Chancellor.
MARTIN LUTHER AGWAI
Martin Luther Agwai CFR, FSS, MSS, DSS, is a retired Nigerian Army general who served as Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff. He was the 13th Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Calabar.
He was the best-graduating student in the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1972, from where he rose to become the Chief of Army Staff in 2003 and Chief of Defense Staff in 2006. He led one of the largest peacekeeping missions in Darfur, Sudan, in 2009, from where he returned home and retired from the Armed Forces.
In his honour, The Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership & Peacekeeping Centre (MLAILPKC) was instituted after his retirement, by General TY Buratai. The Mission of MLAILPKC is to deliver realistic qualitative training packages on Peace Support Operations to potential United Nations and regional peacekeepers to prepare them for the complex and multidimensional challenges of modern Peace Support Operations.
MUSTAFA CHIKE-OBI
Mustafa Chike-Obi, the Chairman of Fidelity Bank Nigeria in July 2020, a First Class Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Lagos and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, began his banking career at Chase Merchant Bank (1980–1982) as Head of the Treasury Department, introducing this concept to Nigerian banking.
Chike-Obi later held senior roles at Goldman Sachs and Bear Stearns and also founded Madison Park Advisors, a financial advisory firm in New Jersey. He also served as Managing Director at Shoreline Group.
From 2010 to 2015, he was the inaugural Managing Director and CEO of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), established to resolve non-performing loan assets in Nigerian banks and before joining Fidelity Bank, he was Executive Vice Chairman at Alpha African Advisory.
Under his leadership, Fidelity Bank has demonstrated resilience and stability, focusing on providing capital to African entrepreneurs, particularly SMEs and startups.
Chike-Obi also serves as President of the Bank Directors Association of Nigeria (BDAN) and Chairman of the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA). In August 2020, he was appointed as Special Envoy of Nigeria to the United States on a special mission on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
ANGO ABDULLAHI
Prof. Ango Abdullahi, CON, is an accomplished academic, administrator, and elder statesman. The former vice-chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, in Zaria, and convener of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, has been on the political horizon for over six decades, contributing his quota to the development of Nigeria.
In one of his decisive contributions, Professor Abdullahi, who had been a strong opponent of calls for restructuring of the country, recently made a U-turn, saying that the North is ready for restructuring. Specifically, he said the current presidential system of government is useless and must be dismantled and replaced with a parliamentary system.
HERBERT WIGWE
- POSTHUMOUS
Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe CFR (15 August 1966 – 9 February 2024) was a Nigerian banker and businessman. He was the group managing director and CEO of Access Bank Plc, one of Nigeria’s top five banking institutions, after succeeding his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.
Wigwe started his career at Coopers & Lybrand and Guaranty Trust Bank before joining Access Bank in 2002 as the company’s deputy managing director. He became the chief executive officer of the company in January 2014.
He died in a helicopter crash on 9 February 2024 in the United States on his way to attend Sunday’s Super Bowl LVIII championship in Las Vegas.
EMMANUEL IWUANYANWU
- POSTHUMOUS
Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu was a Nigerian politician, businessman, and philanthropist who left an indelible mark on the country. Born on September 4, 1942, he was considered one of the richest Igbo men in Nigeria. After the Nigerian civil war, he resumed his studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, graduating in 1971.
He began his career as a pupil engineer at the Nigerian Construction and Furniture Company, quickly rising through the ranks to become a site agent. His innovative design for producing a barge using empty engine oil drums earned him recognition, and he became a registered engineer in 1972.
Iwuanyanwu’s business acumen led him to partner with two Americans, Messrs. Harper and Delano, to establish a construction company, Hardel. He later acquired the company and renamed it Hardel and Enic Construction Company, which grew into a conglomerate of over 20 companies.
Some of his notable business ventures include Enic Advertising Ltd, Magil Industries Limited, National Post Newspapers, Sunrise Insurance Brokers, Oriental Shipping Lines Limited, Paradise City Hotel, Calabar, Oriental Airlines, and Daily Champion newspapers amongst others.
NOMINEES: SENATOR OF THE YEAR
NATASHA AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN
Born December 9, 1979, Senator Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan represents Kogi Central in the Senate. She was recently named Senate committee chairman on local content, and concurrently appointed vice chairman of the committee on steel.
Radical and principled, that she is in leadership positions in both very important committees, attests to her qualities and capabilities.
She canvassed the rechristening of the Federal College of Education (FCE), Okene, after the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Ado Ibrahim. Akpoti-Uduaghan also advocated the resuscitation of the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Project located in Kogi central.
SOLOMON ADEOLA
Currently representing Ogun West in the Senate, Senator Solomon Adeola had previously served as the Senator from Lagos West from 2015 to 2023.
Named the chairman, Senate committee on appropriations of the 10th senate on 8 August 2023, Solomon, who is aspiring to be the next governor of Ogun State was born on August10, 1969.
Yayi as he is popularly called, served as chairman of Public Account Committee of the House of Representatives (2011-2015), pioneer chairman of Senate committee on Local Content (2017-2019), and chairman of Senate Committee on Finance (2019-2023).
IRETI KINGIBE
Seventy-one years old Senator Ireti Kingibe, was born on June 2. Against all odds, she defeated Senator Phillip Aduda in the 2023 senatorial election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ireti, who was elected on the platform of Labour Party is the chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs.
She joined the Labour Party in 2022 and became the FCT senatorial candidate for the 2023 general election. Before the elections, she had pledged her basic salary to a special fund to tackle infrastructure deficits in the rural communities within the nation’s capital.
ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE
A former governor of Edo State from 2008 to 2016, Oshiomhole had previously served as the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress from 1999 to 2007.
Seventy-three, Oshiomhole represents Edo North senatorial district in the Red Chamber, and had served as the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), before his current job.
Early in the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo he negotiated a 25 per cent wage increase for public sector workers. In return, he publicly supported Obasanjo and endorsed his candidacy when he was re-elected in 2003.
The textile workers’ union elected Oshiomhole for a second term as General Secretary, while he continued as president of the NLC.
ALI NDUME
One of the longest serving senators from Borno State, Ali Ndume is the senator representing Borno South senatorial district since 2011. In 2003, Ndume, 66, was elected to represent the people of Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), between 2003 and 2011.
Ndume was the Senate Majority leader from 2015 to 2017. He was impeached by APC Senators on 10 January 2017. He was elected chief whip of the 10th Senate on 4 July 2023. Ndume was also removed as chief whip by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on 17 July 2024, following a letter written by the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, to the Senate president demanding the removal of Ndume as chief whip.
Ndume has moved several Motions and sponsored several Bills in the Parliament, including the Constituencies Development Fund Bill and Electoral Act Amendment Bill that enabled Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to vote in 2015 elections
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