The office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) in collaboration with The Best Strategic PR (TBS) are set for the third edition of the annual Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS 2025).
Annually, NEAPS recognizes and rewards innovation, purposeful leadership and other exceptional deserving individuals that have contributed immensely to the growth and development of the public service and Nigeria at large.
While endorsing NEAPS 2025 on May 27, the SGF, George Akume, said: “The NEAPS, which is designed to be a grand and prestigious independent award, promises to recognize and reward innovations, change, leadership and other exceptional demonstration of selfless public service delivery, with the greatest impact in Nigeria.”
The Founder of NEAPs, Ms. Mariam Mohammed said individuals and groups in both the public and private sectors will be eligible to be selected for NEAPS 2025.
Ms. Mohammed said: “To qualify for an award, recipients must have made significant contributions in public service. Winners of the NEAPS will be those who have improved the quality of public service delivery, taken risks to achieve change, have unblemished and commendable public service record, made significant and notable contributions to a more democratic society and have helped in championing social equity.
“Nomination and shortlisting will be democratic to engender wide acceptance and boost recognition of the Awards as a benchmark for excellence in public service and social welfare delivery.”
NEAPS 2025 awards will be presented to a number of Nigerians, in categories that include excellence in infrastructure service delivery, urban renewal, financial innovation, digital innovation, outstanding reform initiative, security management, transparency and open governance.
The maiden edition of the NEAPs Awards held in October 2022, at the State House Conference Center, Abuja, honoured 44 Nigerians, with the then President Muhammadu Buhari presenting the awards.
The second edition in 2024, also held at the State House Conference Center, Abuja, honoured 49 Nigerians. At the award, President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said he was truly delighted to witness the second edition of NEAPS, and thanked TBS led by Ms. Mohammed, “for this initiative and for deploying one of the best indices to determine the level of performance of public officers.”
Winners of previous NEAPS awards have continued to make progress in politics and business.
They include former President Goodluck Jonathan; the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, who has turned the NCS into a major revenue earner for the government; the Governor of the CBN, Yemi Cardoso; former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who is now FCT Minister; governor of Adamawa State, Umaru Fintiri, who got a second term; governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed; President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah and Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman.
The Best Strategic PR is a strategic communication and policy advisory firm. The firm is at the forefront of galvanizing support for the promotion of Nigerian ideals and the achievement of sustainable development goals, through effective partnerships with government, international NGOs, diplomatic community, multinational companies and individuals.