By Julius Peter, Abuja
The Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State Ministry of Finance, Lawal A. Habib, has been honoured with the National Leadership Award 2026 in recognition of his contributions to public service, leadership and humanitarian development.
Receiving the award, Habib expressed appreciation to the organisers for finding him worthy of the honour, describing the recognition as an encouragement to do more in his service to humanity and the public.
He said the award would motivate him to double his efforts and remain committed to initiatives that positively impact the lives of people, particularly those in need.
According to him, the recognition was an indication that his activities and contributions to humanity had been noticed beyond his immediate environment.
«“This award will make me to double what I am doing before. I will continue to do my best to support humanity. I did not know that people were watching from far what I am doing for humanity,” he said.»
The Permanent Secretary also commended the Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, for what he described as efforts to improve the lives of the people of the state and create a conducive environment for public servants to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
Habib expressed appreciation to the governor for providing an enabling environment that allows government officials to perform their duties in support of the administration’s development agenda.
He said the recognition would further strengthen his resolve to contribute meaningfully to the development of Kaduna State and Nigeria at large.
«“I want to appreciate the good job the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, is doing for the people of Kaduna State and for giving us a conducive environment to do our work,” he stated.»
He further thanked the organisers of the National Leadership Award for considering him worthy of the prestigious recognition, noting that the honour would serve as an additional motivation for him to remain dedicated to public service.
The award organisers, in their remarks, described the event as a celebration of excellence, integrity and visionary leadership in Nigeria.
They explained that the prestigious award, which has been presented for the past 22 years, was established as a platform for recognising Nigerians who have distinguished themselves through hard work, innovation, integrity, leadership and service to humanity.
According to the organisers, the annual recognition seeks to celebrate individuals whose contributions have made a positive difference in their various fields of endeavour and who have demonstrated commitment to the development of society.
They said the 2026 edition was designed to honour individuals who had continued to demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities and contribute to national development despite the challenges confronting the country.
The organisers noted that the recipients were selected in recognition of their contributions and demonstrated commitment to excellence, adding that the award was also intended to encourage others to emulate their examples.
The recognition of Habib therefore adds another dimension to the celebration of public servants who have distinguished themselves through dedication to their responsibilities and service to society.
For Habib, the honour comes with a renewed commitment to greater service, as he pledged to use the recognition as an encouragement to intensify his efforts towards supporting humanity and contributing to the development of Kaduna State and Nigeria.
He also reiterated his appreciation to the organisers, the Kaduna State Government and those who had continued to support his work, assuring that the award would not make him complacent but would rather inspire him to do more.
The National Leadership Award 2026 thus served not only as a recognition of individual achievement but also as a reminder of the importance of integrity, dedication and service in advancing society.
