Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Policy and Coordination, Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman, has been honoured with the prestigious Female Public Service Excellence Award by Muslim News Nigeria, the country’s most authoritative Islamic newspaper.
Her nomination was officially announced on Friday, November 14, 2025, by the Publisher of the newspaper and organiser of the Global and Nigerian Muslim Personalities of the Year Awards (#MNAwards), Alhaji Rasheed Abubakar.
According to Alhaji Abubakar, the award category was specially created to spotlight outstanding but often unsung Muslim personalities who have shown excellence in public service while upholding Islamic values.
Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman was nominated in recognition of her exceptional leadership as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) from 2016 to 2021, where she implemented key reforms in maritime operations.
Her ongoing role in the Tinubu administration, where she monitors and coordinates Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure policy efficiency, also contributed to her selection.
Alhaji Abubakar noted that Bala Usman stands out not only as a capable administrator but also as a devout Muslim woman and politician who is helping to drive the realisation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope 8-Point Agenda.
According to him, “Hajiya Bala Usman has led key reforms including the introduction of the Citizens’ Delivery Tracker for monitoring ministerial performance, institutionalisation of performance assessments across ministries, development of a National Public Policy Framework, and enforcement of accountability measures to ensure alignment with Presient Tinubu’s agenda.”
Despite her demanding role in public service, Hadiza Bala Usman has consistently mentored many young girls to pursue excellence in their chosen careers and life paths.
She is an active member of several mentorship platforms, including The Muslim In National Development (MIND) Foundation, where she supports the growth of emerging Muslim professionals.
Hadiza Bala Usman’s Islamic background and identity as the daughter of renowned historian and Islamic scholar, Dr. Yusufu Bala Usman, have significantly shaped her values and reform-driven approach in governance. Her unwavering dedication to public service, transparency, and youth empowerment reflects her deep-rooted principles.
The Publisher of Muslim News Nigeria congratulated her for the recognition, saying that the formal presentation of her and other winners in different categories will take place during the newspaper’s 7th anniversary lecture, with the date to be announced soon.
Now in its fifth edition, #MNAwards celebrates Muslim achievers across various strata of the society, including politics and good governance, health, education, law, advocacy, among others.
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