Tinubu Clears 959 for National Honours

President Bola Tinubu has approved the conferment of 959 national honours and endorsed major reforms to strengthen the funding framework of the Nigeria Police Force.

The approvals followed marathon meetings of the National Council of State and the Police Council held on Thursday at the State House, Abuja.

Briefing journalists after the meetings, the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr. Emanso Umobong, said the President ratified the report of the National Honours Award Committee for 2024 and 2025, as well as special awards bestowed since January 2025.

According to her, the committee — chaired by Justice Sidi Bage — screened over 5,000 applications and recommended 824 recipients for the 2024/2025 National Honours, alongside 135 special awardees, making a total of 959 honourees.

> “The award of titles and decorations is an annual event where the President honours deserving Nigerians and non-nationals who have distinguished themselves in service to the nation and humanity,” Umobong stated.

She added that the President had earlier recognised several outstanding individuals, including Bill Gates for contributions to public health, Uncle Sam Pemu for excellence in journalism, and the Super Falcons and D’Tigress for achievements in sports.

Posthumous honours were also granted to the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four for their roles in environmental activism, while INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, was acknowledged for his service to Nigeria’s democratic process.

Umobong noted that the updated list of awardees would be published soon.

Following the Council of State session, President Tinubu chaired the Nigeria Police Council, where key reforms to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) were approved.

In his first media briefing since assuming office in August 2023, the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam, said the Council endorsed proposals to repeal and re-enact the 2019 Police Trust Fund Establishment Act, removing its six-year sunset clause and converting it

into a permanent agency.