The Federal Government is to award National Honours to 959 recipients for 2024 and 2025.
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday approved the conferment of 959 national honours and endorsed reforms to strengthen the funding framework for the Nigeria Police Force.
The Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr. Emanso Umobong, said President Bola Tinubu gave the approval following the submission of the report of the National Honours Award Committee for 2024 and 2025, as well as special awards that were earlier bestowed by the President from January 2025 to date
Umobong, who was addressing reporters after the marathon meetings of the National Council of State and the Police Council at the State House, Abuja, said the current honours committee, was reconstituted in August 2021 under Justice Sidi Bage,.
She said the committee screened over 5,000 applications before recommending 824 awards for the 2024/2025 National Honours and 135 special awardees, totaling 959 honourees.
“The award of titles of honour and decorations of dignitaries is a yearly event at which the President honours deserving nationals and non-nationals who have distinguished themselves in the service of the nation and humanity.
“After diligent screening and selection by the committee, a total of 824 successful applicants were recommended for the 2024/2025 National Honours and 135 special awards by the President, bringing it to a total of 959 awardees.”
She recalled that president had already awarded several distinguished Nigerians and friends of Nigeria in the past year, including Bill Gates, for contributing to public health, Uncle Sam Pemu for journalism, and the Super Falcons and D’Tigress for excellence in sports.
Others recipients were the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four, honoured posthumously for environmental activism, and Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the outgoing INEC Chairman, recognised for service to Nigeria’s democratic process.
Umobong said the updated list of awardees, would be published soon.
In another development, President Tinubu has approved major reforms to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam, said the Council approved proposals to repeal and re-enact the 2019 Police Trust Fund Establishment Act to remove its six-year limit and transform it into a permanent agency.
“The sunset clause of six years in the current Act limits the lifespan of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund and impedes long-term planning, thereby constraining sustainable police reform.
“We also prayed that the Council approve the repeal and re-enactment of the Nigerian Police Transparency Establishment Act 2025 in order to remove the sunset clause and transition it into an agency,” Geidam said.
He said the Council further approved increase in the Police Trust Fund’s allocation from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of the Federation Account, just as it directed the Attorney-General of the Federation to incorporate all resolutions into an executive bill for submission to the National Assembly.
The NPTF was established in 2019 to bridge funding gaps in policing by supporting training, welfare, technology acquisition, and logistics. However, its limited tenure and budget constraints have long hindered sustainable reforms.
“All these prayers have been approved without any omission,” Geidam said, adding that “the Council also directed that the Honourable Attorney-General and Minister of Justice input all the approvals of the Council in the proposed Executive Bill.”
