General
Buhari, Saraki, Atiku, Elumelu, Others for African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year 2017
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Nigeria’s President, Mr Muhammadu Buhari, has been nominated for the annual African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Awards 2017.
Mr Buhari is among the six Presidents nominated for this year’s edition of the awards. The others are Mr Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Mr John Magafuli of Tanzania, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia.
The African Leadership magazine is published by African Leadership (UK) Limited, a company registered in the United Kingdom.
The magazine focuses on bringing the best of Africa to a global audience, telling the African story from an African perspective; while evolving solutions to peculiar challenges being faced by the continent today.
This year’s edition, which is the 6th in the series features 7 categories, including, African of the Year 2017; African Female Leader of the Year 2017; ALM Person of the Year-Educational development 2017; ALM Person of the Year- Employment Generation 2017; ALM Person of the Year-Political Leadership 2017; ALM Person of the Year- Philanthropy 2017; and ALM Young Person of the Year 2017.
As in previous editions, this year’s nominees passed through a thorough vetting process, which includes the selection from a long list of over 250 outstanding individuals who have contributed to the continent’s progress in the year under review.
Remarkably, this year, African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year was consigned to three themes – which are jobs & wealth creation, Promotion of Democratic Values; & the promotion of Africa’s image abroad.
With Africa’s population tipped to double by the year 2050, and unemployment at the centre of the problems confronting the continent, jobs and wealth creators deserve to be especially encouraged and supported.
In selecting the nominees for this year, the selection committee took a keen interest in Africans whose activities, policies and actions have contributed to creating jobs and spreading wealth; promoting democratic values; and / or promoting Africa’s image abroad. And then, of course, we add in a dose of our editorial judgment.
In announcing the shortlist of nominees, Publisher of the Magazine, Ken Giami stated that “Africans have continued to break and set new boundaries, making the selection a lot more interesting, albeit, herculean.”
Dr Giami added that “some African leaders have become increasingly restless, leaving nothing to chance on their journey to make their communities a better place.
The African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Award is in keeping with our tradition of presenting the sides of the continent, which hardly finds placement on the global mainstream media, and celebrating exemplary leadership and individuals who have contributed to shaping the global perception of the African continent. These groups of Africans are the Game-Changers, who are doing things differently towards re-positioning the African continent.
The winners of the 2017 Persons of the Year Award would be announced on January 5, 2018, by 2.00pm Central African time, and would be formally decorated, alongside the nominees, on 24 February 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa at an investiture and Gala to be attended by some of Africa’s finest in business, politics, and diplomacy.
Past recipients of this prestigious award include: Dr Mo Ibrahim, founder, Ibrahim Prize for Leadership, 2012; Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria 2013; President Jakaya Kikwete, immediate past President of Tanzania, 2014; Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, immediate past President of Nigeria, 2015; and Mr Mo Dewji, CEO MeTL Group Tanzania, 2016.
See full list of nominees below:
African of the Year 2017 (Previously Person of the Year)
This recognition is open to an African whose actions has greatly impacted the continent positively in the year under review and helped shape his or her immediate society and continues to inspire globally.
- Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo, President of Ghana
- Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holding
- Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda
- John Pombe Magufuli, President of Tanzania
- Cyril Ramaphosa, Executive Chairman, Shanduka Group
- Chief Oladipo Jadesimi, Chairman LADOL, Nigeria
African Female Leader of the Year 2017
This recognition is open to an African woman who has defied the odds, risen above the patriarchal systems in the continent to positively affect the continent or influence women to aspire for excellence in various fields.
- Bethlehem Alemu
- Linah Mohohlo (Botswana) Governor, Bank Of Botswana
- Bridgette Radebe (South Africa) Founder And Chairman Mmakau
- Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita (South Africa) Ceo Arcelormittal
- Mamphele Ramphele (South Africa) Ceo Circle Capital Partners
- Susan Mashibe (Tanzania) Founder And Executive Director Tanjet Aviation
- Magatte Wade (Senegal) Ceo, Adina World Beat Beverages
ALM Person of the Year 2017 – Educational Development
This recognition is open to an African, whose contribution to the growth of education and deepening knowledge has been second to none in the year under review. It is also reserved for a member of the academia whose research or policy has contributed in shaping his or her country’s economic growth and development
- Are Afe Babalola, Afe Babalola University
- Strive Masiyiwa, Chairman ECONET
- Prof. Admola Tayo, Vice Chancellor, Babcock University
- Fred Swaniker, Founder, African Leadership University
ALM Person of the Year 2017 – Employment Generation
This recognition is open to an African, whose actions, policies and business has helped in creating jobs for Africans in the year under review
- Atiku Abubakar
- Sam Jonah, CEO Jonah Capital
- Marius Kloppers CEO, BHP Billiton
- Brian Joffe, CEO, Bidvest Group
- Sheikh Mohammed Al-Amoudi, Chairman MIDROC Ethiopia Investment Group
- Kwame Nana Bediako,Businessman, Ghana
ALM Person of the Year 2017 – Political Leadership
This recognition is open to an African, whose contribution has immensely contributed in deepening democracy and democratic values in the continent.
- Julius Malema
- Uhuru Kenyatta
- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
- Marc Ravalomanana, Former President of Madagascar
- Bukola Saraki, Nigeria President of the Senate
ALM Person of the Year 2017 – Philanthropy & Charitable Contributions to Society
This recognition is open to an African, who has given more to support charitable cause, social justice and promote social good.
- Manu Chandaria Chairman, Comcraft Group
- TY Danjuma
- Naushad Merali – Sameer Group
- Ashish J. Thakkar – Mara Group
- Francios Van Niekerk – Mertech Group
- Mohammed Indimi
- Tony Elumelu
ALM Young Person of the Year 2017
Must be between the ages of 18-38; Young persons of African descent, making a difference globally via diverse sectors such as business, IT, entertainment, sports etc, remaining a positive role model and re-defining creativity, resilience; hard work and ingenuity of the continent’s young people
- Ory Okolloh, Position: Director of Investments at Omidyar Network
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Footballer, Gabon,
- Nasir Yammama, IT Guru, Nigeria
- Joel Macharia, Financial Services, Kenya,
- Davido, Musician, Nigeria
6. Fahad Awadh, Agro-processing, Tanzania
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Martin Amaewhule, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
At the plenary on Friday, Mr Amaewhule joined the ruling party from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), along with 15 other members of the state parliament.
This development comes some months after they had earlier declared their support for the APC in the wake of a crisis with the state governor, Mr Sim Fubura.
The lawmakers had an issue with Mr Fubura, which led to a state of emergency declared on the oil-rich state by President Bola Tinubu in March 2025.
This embargo was only lift in September 2025 after the duration of the six-month emergency rule in the state.
A few days ago, members of the Rivers Assembly passed a vote of confidence on President Tinubu, backing him to remain in office till 2031, when he would have spent eight years in office if re-elected in 2027.
Announcing their defection today, the lawmakers pinned their decision on the crisis rocking the PDP at the national level.
It is not certain if their political godfather, Mr Nyesom Wike, who is the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will join them in APC.
Mr Wike, who governed Rivers State from 2015 to 2023, has been accused of instigating the crisis in the opposition PDP. He was expelled from the party last month at a national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has warned that Nigeria risks massive brain drain in the oil and gas sector due to poor remuneration.
The president of PENGASSAN, Mr Festus Osifo, said at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union on Thursday in Abuja that the industry was facing challenges arising from Naira devaluation and inflation, noting that, oil and gas skills remained globally competitive.
Painting an example, he said, “A drilling engineer in Nigeria does the same job as one in the US or Abu Dhabi,” noting that the union must take steps to bridge the wage gap to prevent members from leaving the country for better opportunities abroad.
“If we don’t act, the brain drain seen in other sectors will be child’s play,” he said.
According to him, PENGASSAN has recorded significant gains through collective bargaining across oil and gas branches.
“We signed numerous agreements across government agencies, IOCs, service and marketing sectors,” he said.
He said the agreements brought relief to members facing rising costs of living, adding that, the association’s duty is to protect members’ jobs and enhance their pay.
Mr Osifo urged companies delaying salary reviews and those foot-dragging as a result of the prevailing economic realities, to do the needful.
He said the industry employed some of the nation’s best talents, making competitive pay critical to retaining skilled workers.
“This industry recruits the best. Companies must provide the best conditions,” he said.
On insecurity, Mr Osifo urged government to take decisive action against terrorism and kidnappings across the country.
“We are tired of condemnations. government must expose sponsors and protect citizens,” he said.
He urged government at all levels to prioritise tackling insecurity through better funding and equipment for security agencies.
Mr Osifo said PENGASSAN supported calls for state police to improve local security response, adding that decentralising policing will protect citizens better than rhetoric.
He also said economic indicators meant little, if food prices remained high and farmers could not return to farms due to insecurity.
“Nigerians want to see food on the table, not macroeconomic figures,” he said, urging the government to coordinate fiscal and monetary policies to ensure economic gains reach households.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s crisis-response bill seeking to establish a single, toll-free, three-digit emergency number for nationwide use passed for second reading in the Senate this week.
Sponsored by Mr Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, the proposed legislation aims to replace the country’s chaotic patchwork of emergency lines with a unified code—112—that citizens can dial for police, fire, medical, rescue and other life-threatening situations.
Lawmakers said the reform is urgently needed to address delays, miscommunication and avoidable deaths linked to Nigeria’s fragmented response system amid rising insecurity.
Leading debate, Mr Yar’adua said Nigeria has outgrown the “operational disorder” caused by multiple emergency numbers in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun and other states for ambulance services, police intervention, fire incidents, domestic violence, child abuse and other crises.
He said, “This bill seeks to provide for a nationwide toll-free emergency number that will aid the implementation of a national system of reporting emergencies.
“The presence of multiple emergency numbers in Nigeria has been identified as an impediment to getting accelerated emergency response.”
Mr Yar’adua noted that the reform would bring Nigeria in line with global best practices, citing the United States, United Kingdom and India, countries where a single emergency line has improved coordination, enhanced location tracking and strengthened first responders’ efficiency.
With an estimated 90 per cent of Nigerians owning mobile phones, he said the unified number would significantly widen public access to emergency services.
Under the bill, all calls and text messages would be routed to the nearest public safety answering point or control room.
He urged the Senate to fast-track the bill’s passage, stressing the need for close collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), relevant agencies and telecom operators to ensure nationwide coverage.
Senator Ali Ndume described the reform as “timely and very, very important,” warning that the absence of a reliable reporting channel has worsened Nigeria’s security vulnerabilities.
“One of the challenges we are having during this heightened insecurity is lack of proper or effective communication with the affected agencies,” Ndume said.
“If we do this, we are enhancing and contributing to solving the security challenges and other related criminalities we are facing,” he added.
Also speaking in support, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno said a centralised emergency number would remove barriers to citizen reporting and strengthen public involvement in security management.
He said, “Our security community is always calling on the general public to report what they see.
“There is a need for government to create an avenue where the public can report what they see without any hindrance. The bill would give strength and muscular expression to national calls for vigilance.”
The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Communications for further legislative work and is expected to be returned for final consideration within four weeks.
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