By Fatima Mukhtar
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the conferment of 959 national honours and endorsed far-reaching reforms aimed at strengthening the funding framework of the Nigeria Police Force.
The approvals were made on Thursday during marathon meetings of the National Council of State and the Nigeria Police Council, both held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Briefing journalists after the sessions, the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, Emanso Umobong, said the President ratified the report of the National Honours Award Committee covering 2024 and 2025, alongside special awards already bestowed since January 2025.
Umobong explained that the committee, chaired by Justice Sidi Bage, screened over 5,000 applications before recommending 824 recipients for national honours and 135 special awardees, bringing the total number of honourees to 959.
She said the national honours are conferred annually on deserving Nigerians and non-Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in the service of the nation and humanity.
Among those recognised are global philanthropist Bill Gates for contributions to public health, veteran journalist Uncle Sam Amuka Pemu for excellence in journalism, and Nigeria’s national women’s teams, the Super Falcons and D’Tigress, for outstanding achievements in sports.
Others include the late Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four, honoured posthumously for their environmental activism, and outgoing INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, commended for a decade of service to Nigeria’s democratic process.
The Permanent Secretary added that the full list of national awardees will be published in due course.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved key reforms to improve police funding and training. The reforms include the Nigeria Police Training Institute (Establishment) Bill and amendments to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act to ensure sustainable financing and improved welfare for personnel.
The Police Council also discussed strategies to strengthen recruitment and capacity-building within the force, as part of efforts to address manpower challenges and modernise policing nationwide.
Nigeria’s national honours, instituted under the National Honours Act of 1964, are conferred annually to reward exceptional service and achievements in various sectors, with categories ranging from Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) to Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).
Source: Naija News, The Nation, and official government briefings
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