Leadership Newspaper Names Idris Governor of the Year 2026

Leadership Newspaper Group has named Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi the 2026 Governor of the Year in recognition of his administration’s achievements in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and workers’ welfare.

The Group formally presented the award notification letter to Idris in Abuja through its Group Managing Director, Alhaji Muazu Elazeh, accompanied by the Director of Conferences, Mr Abraham Nda-Isaiah, and the Director of Special Projects, Mr Abdulmumin Balogun.

The presentation also served as an invitation to the governor to attend the 2026 Leadership Annual Conference and Awards scheduled for Dec. 1 at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Speaking during the presentation, Elazeh said the award followed a rigorous assessment by the newspaper’s Board of Editors, which evaluated the governor’s performance, policy direction and contributions to Kebbi’s development since assuming office in May 2023.

He said the newspaper considered the governor’s performance across critical sectors, particularly infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture, workers’ welfare, social protection and human capital development.

According to him, Idris distinguished himself through the implementation of development programmes that had translated into measurable improvements in the lives of the people.

The award notification letter specifically acknowledged the administration’s investments in road construction, drainage infrastructure, transportation, public facilities, healthcare delivery, education, agricultural development and security.

It also highlighted the provision of healthcare facilities, health insurance schemes, recruitment of teachers and healthcare personnel, renovation of schools, distribution of agricultural inputs, irrigation development and agricultural mechanisation.

The newspaper further commended the governor’s commitment to workers’ welfare, particularly the prompt payment of salaries and sustained efforts to address outstanding pension and gratuity obligations to retirees.

Responding, Idris expressed appreciation to Leadership Newspapers for the recognition, describing it as an encouraging endorsement of his administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of Kebbi residents.

He said he was particularly encouraged that the newspaper had monitored and evaluated his administration’s activities before deciding to honour him with the award.

The governor assured the delegation of his attendance at the ceremony, by the grace of Almighty Allah, and pledged his administration’s support towards ensuring a successful event.

He reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining people-oriented policies and programmes.

Idris said agriculture, education, healthcare, infrastructure, employment generation and workers’ welfare would remain central to his administration’s development agenda.

Highlighting some of his administration’s achievements, Idris said the government had introduced free education, distributed agricultural inputs and equipment to farmers at no cost, and recruited thousands of teachers and healthcare workers.

He added that the government had continued to pay tuition fees and provide stipends to Kebbi students studying in tertiary institutions within and outside the country.

The governor also listed the renovation and rehabilitation of general hospitals and primary healthcare centres, as well as the construction and rehabilitation of schools and other critical public infrastructure across the state.

On workers’ welfare, he said his administration remained committed to improving the conditions of service of civil servants and retirees through prompt salary payments, settlement of pension and gratuity obligations and initiatives to improve access to affordable housing.

Reflecting on his emergence as governor, Idris described his journey to leadership as an act of divine providence, noting that his background as a teacher and experience as a labour leader had continued to shape his approach to governance.

He said his administration would remain guided by compassion, inclusiveness and accountability, stressing that government existed primarily to serve the people.

The governor said the recognition would further motivate him and members of his team to intensify efforts towards sustainable development and improved living conditions across the state’s 21 local government areas.

He described the award as a collective achievement, reflecting the contributions of the people of Kebbi, members of his administration and other stakeholders to the state's development.

Earlier, the state Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed-BK, described the recognition as an endorsement of the governor’s leadership and contributions to the development of the state.

Ahmed-BK commended Leadership Newspapers for recognising the administration’s achievements and expressed confidence that the honour would encourage the government to consolidate its development agenda.

He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to sustaining progress across critical sectors and expressed optimism about the governor’s political future.