Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has been nominated for a national honour under the Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS), where he is scheduled to receive the Distinguished Award for Excellence in Sustainable Development and Community Empowerment. The ceremony will hold on Sunday, 7 December 2025, at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
According to an official communication signed by M. S. Danjuma, FCNA, Permanent Secretary (General Services Office), on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the award will be presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. NEAPS, organised by The Best Strategic Media in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, recognises public officials and institutions whose work demonstrates notable contributions to national development.
The nomination acknowledges Governor Eno’s ongoing efforts in promoting sustainable development and strengthening community-focused programmes across Akwa Ibom State. His administration’s initiatives under the ARISE Agenda—which prioritises rural development, agricultural support, public service productivity, and improved welfare for vulnerable groups—have been cited as part of the basis for the recognition.
Since assuming office, Governor Eno has received several awards from professional bodies and independent institutions, reflecting a growing national interest in his governance style. These awards have highlighted areas such as transparency, responsiveness to citizens, infrastructure delivery, and his government’s open engagement with the media. Observers note that while such awards differ in scope and criteria, they collectively point to the state’s continued visibility in national conversations around public sector performance.
Among the acknowledgments received in the past two years are the Nigerian Guild of Editors’ Excellence Award for Good Governance, which commended his administration’s media-friendly disposition, and the Social Media Governor of the Year Award by NISMA for its communication approach. He was also named Governor of the Year (2024) by Leadership Group Limited, as well as Best Governor of the Year (2024) by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, which referenced fiscal discipline and grassroots impact.
Security sector organisations have also recognised the state government’s support, with the Security Watch Africa Initiative and the Nigeria Police Force, Akwa Ibom Command presenting separate awards acknowledging contributions to operational effectiveness.
At the continental level, Governor Eno was honoured at the African Business Leadership Awards in London as African Governor of the Year (Infrastructure Development), highlighting achievements in infrastructure upgrades, water sector improvements and strategic planning.
As Governor Eno prepares to attend the NEAPS ceremony, analysts note that the award places additional attention on Akwa Ibom’s development trajectory and the administration’s efforts to strengthen community-centred governance. They observe that while honours such as these are symbolic, they often reflect broader national assessments of service delivery and administrative performance.
