Alia, Namadi, 6 others win BusinessDay States Competitiveness Awards

Governors Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, Umar Namadi of Jigawa, Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, and Babagana Zulum of Borno on Thursday emerged winners at the 2026 BusinessDay States Competitiveness and Investment Readiness Awards (SCIRA), in recognition of their transformative governance, economic reforms and development initiatives.

The awards, organised by BusinessDay Media Limited, celebrated state governments that have demonstrated excellence in governance, infrastructure development, security, economic diversification, investment promotion and public service delivery.

The ceremony, held in Abuja, attracted governors, senior government officials, development partners, business leaders and policymakers from across the country.

Governor Hyacinth Alia received the Infrastructure Development and Urban Renewal Award for his administration’s extensive investments in roads, bridges, water supply systems and urban renewal projects aimed at boosting economic activities and improving public service delivery in Benue State.

Governor Umar Namadi was honoured with the Agricultural Transformation and Rural Development Award for consolidating Jigawa’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading agricultural states through investments in mechanisation, irrigation and agribusiness development.

Governor Bala Mohammed won the Governance, Economic Reforms and Human Capital Development Award for policies that have strengthened infrastructure, healthcare delivery, urban renewal and the overall business environment in Bauchi State.

Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, received the Agricultural Transformation and Security Improvement Award in recognition of his administration’s efforts to boost agricultural productivity while strengthening community-based security structures across the state.

Represented by his deputy, Farouk Jobe, Radda was commended for integrating economic development with security reforms to create a more stable environment for investment and growth.

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State clinched the Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Economic Recovery Award for his administration’s efforts in rebuilding critical infrastructure, restoring livelihoods and driving economic recovery in communities affected by insurgency.

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State received the Economic Expansion, Innovation and Investment Promotion Award for pursuing an ambitious development agenda anchored on infrastructure delivery, security enhancement, digital governance and business-friendly reforms.

The award was received on his behalf by the state’s Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Benjamin Okoh.

Also honoured was Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, who won the Infrastructure-Led Economic Growth and Commercial Development Award, while Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State received the Infrastructure Development and Economic Recovery Award.

The awards were designed to recognise states that are translating policy decisions into measurable economic outcomes, improving competitiveness, attracting investments and creating sustainable pathways to prosperity.

While Governors Alia and Namadi attended the ceremony in person, several other award recipients were represented by senior government officials including commissioners.

The awardees expressed appreciation for the recognition, describing it as an encouragement to deepen reforms and intensify efforts aimed at improving the welfare of their citizens and accelerating economic growth in their respective states.

In is welcome address, the Publisher of BusinessDay Media Limited, Frank Aigbogun, challenged state governments across Nigeria to embrace greater transparency, accountability and competitiveness in the management of public resources, saying citizens deserve to know how increasing revenues are being utilised to improve their lives.

Aigbogun said the awards were designed to recognise governors and states that are transforming local economies, creating jobs, fighting poverty and insecurity, and positioning their states as destinations for investment.

“We are not merely handing out trophies tonight. We are recognising vision, innovation, resilience and the relentless pursuit of excellence that drives our states and our nation forward,” he said.

He noted that states have enjoyed significantly improved revenues in recent years, revealing that the 36 states collectively received about N16.94 trillion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) between 2023 and the first quarter of 2026.

According to him, the huge inflow of resources places a responsibility on governments, civil society and the media to monitor how public funds are being spent and to acknowledge states that are delivering measurable development outcomes.

“There is no doubt that states have enjoyed better revenue from the federation account in the last three years. It is our duty to monitor what is going on and celebrate those that have surpassed their peers in the management of these resources,” he stated.

Aigbogun, however, expressed concern that many states continue to struggle with poor budget implementation, weak transparency mechanisms and limited public access to information.

“If someone sitting in Canada visits a state’s website today, what exactly will they see? Transparency must improve. It is good to be working, but it is even better when people know you are working,” he said.

The BusinessDay Publisher stressed that the failure of public resources to translate into visible development outcomes has contributed to rising poverty and insecurity across the country.

He argued that improved governance, transparency and accountability remain critical to unlocking economic growth and restoring public confidence in government institutions.

Aigbogun further disclosed that SCIRA was created as a neutral and credible platform for measuring and recognising states that are successfully translating policies into economic results, attracting investments and strengthening productive sectors.

“The competition among states has already begun. What we are creating is a transparent and credible platform for identifying the leading lights of governance and economic development in Nigeria,” he said.

On security, he called for stronger collaboration among state governments, warning that insecurity has evolved from a regional challenge into a national crisis.

“Insecurity is no longer the problem of one state or a few states. It has become Nigeria’s problem. If we fail to address it, it could define us as a people,” Aigbogun warned.

He urged governors to share successful strategies, build partnerships and learn from one another, insisting that solutions to Nigeria’s security and economic challenges must come from within the country.

“The answers to our problems, whether insecurity or poverty, lie in Nigeria. They will not come from abroad,” he added.

Aigbogun congratulated all award recipients, describing them as examples of leadership, resilience and innovation whose efforts are helping to build a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria.