President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned public officers that corruption threatens effective governance and erodes public confidence in institutions.

Speaking at the Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS) held at the State House Banquet Hall, President Tinubu stressed that every act of malfeasance—ranging from nepotism and cronyism to weak accountability systems—undermines governance and public trust.

Represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, the President described public service as a “sacred national trust” and called on officers to uphold integrity, accountability, and patriotism while leaving lasting legacies in national development.

“Corruption continues to erode effective public service delivery. Government officials must rise above entrenched habits and commit to excellence in their duties,” he said, praising the organisers of NEAPS for maintaining a credible, private-sector-driven assessment of public officers’ performance.

This year, 50 individuals were recognised based on empirical assessment rather than political considerations, highlighting their commitment to effective service delivery.

Speaking on behalf of the SGF, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described NEAPS as an independent scorecard for public officers and commended the transparent evaluation process.

Among the honourees were high-profile public figures, including SGF Senator George Akume, Minister of Finance Wale Edun, Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo (SAN), Minister of Women Affairs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, along with several governors such as Peter Mbah (Enugu), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi).

The awards, a private-sector initiative organised by The Best Strategic Media in collaboration with the Office of the SGF, aim to recognise and incentivise excellence, transparency, and accountability in Nigeria’s public service.

President Tinubu encouraged the honourees to continue striving for excellence, describing their recognition as both a validation of efforts and a motivation to improve service delivery for a better Nigeria.