Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has been honoured with the BusinessDay 2026 Governor of the Year Award in recognition of his administration’s outstanding achievements in governance, economic development, and investment readiness.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
The award was presented on Thursday at the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum, held at Eko Hotel, Lagos.
While presenting the award, the Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of BusinessDay, Mr. Frank Aigbogun, said Governor Yusuf was recognised under the States Competitiveness and Investment Readiness Awards (SCIRA) as the BusinessDay Governor of the Year 2026, in recognition of his administration’s commitment to good governance, economic transformation, and creating an enabling environment for investment.
The event was attended by senior government officials, captains of industry, and distinguished public and private sector leaders, including the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and other eminent personalities. The Deputy Governor of Kano State received the award on behalf of Governor Yusuf.
In his acceptance speech, delivered by the Deputy Governor, Governor Yusuf described the award as a recognition of the collective efforts of the Kano State Government in delivering people-centred governance and implementing reforms that have repositioned the state for sustainable growth.
He noted that the recognition by one of Nigeria’s foremost business and economic newspapers underscores the impact of his administration’s investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, commerce, industrial development, and social welfare.
Governor Yusuf reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening Kano’s position as Northern Nigeria’s commercial hub through policies that promote investment, support small and medium-sized enterprises, modernise markets, enhance agricultural value chains, and create employment opportunities for young people.
The Governor dedicated the award to the people of Kano State, members of the State Executive Council, the Legislature, the Judiciary, traditional and religious leaders, civil servants, development partners, and the private sector for their unwavering support and invaluable contributions to the state’s development.
He assured that the recognition would further inspire his administration to deepen transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance while delivering more development projects that improve the lives and livelihoods of the people.
