GNA News – Official Report
The Great Nigerian Assembly (GNA) has officially announced the recipients of the GNA Pacesetter Awards 2025, a flagship civic recognition platform established to spotlight leaders whose actions translate into tangible results, measurable public value, and positive impact on the lives of citizens across Nigeria.
The 2025 award outcomes emerged from months of structured observation, citizen feedback, independent reviews, and performance verification processes conducted by GNA teams within Nigeria and the diaspora. The Pacesetter Awards are not popularity contests, nor are they ceremonial accolades for titles held; rather, they are impact-driven recognitions anchored on visible projects, policy outcomes, service delivery improvements, and people-centered leadership.
After comprehensive assessment, the following leaders have been confirmed as winners in their respective categories:
Aliko Dangote has been named GNA Pacesetter Person of the Year 2025, in recognition of his sustained and transformative contributions to Nigeria’s industrialization, job creation, economic resilience, and private-sector–led development. His investments continue to reshape manufacturing capacity, reduce import dependency, and inspire indigenous enterprise across Africa.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, emerges as GNA Pacesetter Governor of the Year 2025, following verifiable progress in infrastructure delivery, urban mobility, social interventions, and governance reforms that directly affect millions of residents within Africa’s most populous subnational economy.
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been selected as GNA Pacesetter Senator of the Year 2025, based on documented constituency-focused interventions, legislative advocacy, and sustained engagement that demonstrate purposeful utilization of public office to advance development outcomes.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, receives the GNA Pacesetter Minister of the Year 2025 Award for driving critical reforms in passport administration, immigration services, and internal service delivery—reforms that have delivered practical relief, efficiency, and restored public confidence.
Kolade Alabi David, former Chairman of Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, is honored as GNA Pacesetter Local Government Chairman of the Year 2025, following independent verification of completed grassroots projects and community-level interventions that produced visible and lasting benefits.
In a demonstration of institutional integrity and commitment to accountability, no winner has been declared for the GNA Pacesetter House of Representatives Member of the Year 2025 category.
Despite extensive outreach and data requests, the GNA review teams did not receive sufficient verifiable reports detailing constituency projects, completed interventions, or measurable contributions that significantly improved lives within any constituency. Given that Members of the House of Representatives receive constituency allocations intended for grassroots development, the absence of clearly verifiable impact data made it impossible to declare a credible winner.
GNA emphasizes that non-award is not condemnation, but a principled reminder that public recognition must be earned through evidence, not position.
The GNA Pacesetter Award exists to encourage responsible governance, inspire performance, and reinforce a culture of results. It acknowledges the reality that leadership operates within complex systems, but insists that effort must translate into outcomes. The award framework focuses on:
Tangible and completed projects
Direct social and economic impact
Accountability and transparency
Responsible use of public or private influence
Positive legacy for citizens
The initiative is a core program under GNA’s civic architecture, which includes 16 Professional Groups working collaboratively across governance, health, education, technology, food security, youth empowerment, and national development. Through these platforms, GNA engages constructively with government institutions, professionals, civil society, and the Nigerian diaspora to advance people-centered progress.
While the winners have been officially announced, the formal presentation of the GNA Pacesetter Awards 2025 will take place at a Special GNA Event scheduled for mid-2026. This ceremony will convene stakeholders from Nigeria and the global Nigerian community to celebrate excellence, share lessons from impact-driven leadership, and reaffirm GNA’s commitment to building a nation defined by integrity, accountability, and measurable development.
The Great Nigerian Assembly reiterates that the Pacesetter Awards are not endpoints but signals—signals to current and aspiring leaders that citizens are watching, impact matters, and responsible leadership will be recognized.
As Nigeria navigates critical development challenges and opportunities, GNA remains steadfast in its mission to promote leadership that works, governance that delivers, and a future shaped by evidence-based progress rather than rhetoric.
— GNA
News, Official Publication of the Great Nigerian Assembly
