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OBI, ELUMELU, NATASHA, KALU, SANI, OTTI WIN LEADERSHIP AWARD
The 7th Leadership Excellence Awards (LEEX) has unveiled its highly anticipated roster of winners following an extensive online polling process that engaged citizens across Nigeria and the diaspora. This prestigious awards program, endorsed by the African Union and the African Film Institute, recognizes outstanding leaders and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to leadership excellence across various sectors. Among the most prominent past winners of LEEX Awards are former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, Current Director-general of the World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Billionaire Entrepreneur and Socialist Obi Cubana, just to mention a few, all of whom were recognized for their transformative contributions to African society. The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on October 31, 2025, at the prestigious Nigeria Air Force Conference Hall in Abuja, marking a significant gathering of Africa’s most influential change-makers and visionaries .
1 Background and Significance of the LEEX Awards
The Leadership Excellence Awards (LEEX) have established themselves as Africa’s premier recognition platform for leadership achievement since their inception. Founded and organized by Igbere TV, the awards have grown in both stature and scope, with each edition attracting a wider pool of nominees and participants from across the country. The African Union’s endorsement lends significant diplomatic weight to the awards, elevating them beyond a mere media event to a continent-wide celebration of leadership excellence. This institutional backing ensures that the awards maintain rigorous standards of credibility and inclusivity, with nominees undergoing thorough vetting processes before being presented for public consideration.
The awards program is specifically designed to identify and honor those individuals and organizations whose work exemplifies the highest standards of leadership across diverse fields including business, politics, social activism, education, and humanitarian work. Unlike many awards that rely solely on jury decisions, the LEEX Awards incorporate a unique hybrid selection process that combines expert evaluation with widespread public participation, ensuring that winners genuinely resonate with both ordinary citizens and established institutions. This balanced approach has made the awards increasingly prestigious, with past winners reporting enhanced credibility and visibility for their initiatives following recognition.
2 Award Nomination and Voting Process
2.1 Nomination Phase
The process for the 7th LEEX Awards commenced with an open nomination period that spanned several weeks, allowing citizens from across Nigeria and in diaspora to put forward individuals and organizations they believed deserving of recognition. According to official guidelines, nominators were required to submit the full name, comprehensive details of achievements, and contact information for each nominee to a dedicated email address (igberetv@gmail.com) before the August 7, 2025 deadline. This inclusive approach ensured that the awards remained accessible to both high-profile figures and unsung heroes whose contributions might otherwise go unnoticed on the national stage .
2.2 Voting Mechanism
Following the nomination phase, the process transitioned to public voting, which opened on August 14, 2025, as evidenced by Igbere TV’s social media announcements. The online voting platform allowed participants from across Nigeria and the diaspora to select their preferred candidates in various categories, with safeguards implemented to ensure the integrity of the process. The public voting component carried significant weight in the final determination of winners, reflecting the awards’ commitment to democratic recognition. The transparent process was designed to minimize manipulation, with each vote rigorously verified to prevent fraudulent activities that sometimes plague online polls .
3 Comprehensive List of Award Winners
Man of the Year: Tony Elumelu
Woman of the Year: Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
Governors of the Year (Infrastructure): Alex Otti
Governor of the Year (Agriculture) Mohammed Bago
Governor of the Year (Healthcare) Uba Sani
Philanthropist of the Year: Peter Obi
Female Footballer of the Year: Esther Okoronkwo
Social Crusader of the Year: VDM
Policewoman of the Year: CSP Nkeiruka Nwode
Customs Icon of the Year: Comptroller Mohammed Babandede
Security Icon of the Year: CP Uche Henry
Senator of the Year (Constituency Projects): Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu
Senator of the Year (Advocacy): Senator Seriake Dickson
Senator of the Year (Empowerment): Sen. David Jimkuta
Legislative Icon of the Year: Sen. Samuel Lalong
Education Icon of the Year: Sen Abdulaziz Yari
Financial Institution of the Year: Norrenberger Pensions
Iconic Women Leader of the Year: Dr. Hailmary Aipoh
Healthcare Icon of the Year: Dr. Sylvia Cole
Microfinance Executive of the Year: Ure Okezie
Housing Icon of the Year: Arch Ezekiel Nya-Etok
Political Strategist of the Year: Hon. Austin Agada
Digital Icon of the Year: Dada Olusegun
Sports Icon of the Year (Grassroot Devt): Rauf Badamosi
Iconic Artist of the Year (Afrobeats): Made Kuti
Civil Servant of the Year: Abdulkadir Babakatun
Security Consultant of the Year: Okeyomi Babatunde
Minister of the Year: David Umahi
Maritime Icon of the Year: Bashir Jamor
Aviation Services Icon of the Year: Dr. Chinwe Oti
Dairy Operations COO of the Year: Dr. Abbas Rayan Akar
Public Finance Administrator of the Year: Dr. Solomon Ojuekaiye
Innovator of the Year: Engr Prince Nwankwo
4 Award Ceremony Details
The 7th LEEX Awards ceremony is scheduled to be held on Friday, October 31, 2025, at the prestigious Nigeria Air Force Conference Hall in Abuja, Nigeria. This venue selection reflects the event’s significance and the need for adequate facilities to host the expected gathering of national leaders, dignitaries, and international media representatives. The ceremony will feature cultural performances, keynote addresses on leadership in Nigeria and Africa, and the presentation of awards to the distinguished honorees .
Preparations for the gala event are already underway, with organizers promising a world-class production that celebrates African excellence while adhering to the highest standards of event management. Attendance is strictly by invitation and is expected to include current and former heads of state, captains of industry, cultural icons, and representatives from diplomatic missions across Africa. The event will also be broadcast live across multiple platforms to ensure maximum accessibility for audiences throughout Africa and the global diaspora.
5 Significance and Impact of the Awards
The LEEX Awards represent more than just ceremonial recognition; they serve as a powerful catalyst for positive change by highlighting models of excellence for emerging leaders to emulate. Winners experience enhanced credibility and visibility for their initiatives, often attracting additional support and partnerships as a result of the recognition. The awards also create valuable networking opportunities that foster collaboration between exceptional leaders from different sectors and regions, potentially leading to innovative solutions to Africa’s most pressing challenges.
The rigorous selection process, which combines expert validation with public participation, ensures that winners genuinely represent the values of leadership excellence rather than merely benefiting from name recognition or popularity. This careful balancing act between institutional credibility and democratic participation has established the LEEX Awards as one of the most meaningful recognitions of leadership on the African continent, with a growing influence that extends beyond the ceremony itself to shape conversations about governance, development, and social progress.
6 Conclusion
The 7th Leadership Excellence Awards have once again succeeded in identifying and honoring those individuals and organizations whose contributions are shaping a brighter future for Africa. By recognizing diverse leaders from politics, business, social activism, and other fields, the awards celebrate the multifaceted nature of leadership required to address the continent’s complex challenges. As Africa continues its journey toward greater prosperity, stability, and global influence, initiatives like the LEEX Awards play a crucial role in highlighting successful models of leadership while inspiring the next generation of change-makers to pursue excellence in their respective fields.
All honorees are encouraged to attend the awards ceremony on October 31, 2025, in Abuja, where these distinguished leaders will be formally recognized for their exceptional contributions to African society. For complete details of all award winners and information about the ceremony, interested parties are directed to visit the official Igbere TV awards portal at
