The Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has been named the recipient of the Muslim News Nigeria Transformational Leadership Award 2025 in recognition of his exceptional, people-centred governance and far-reaching impact in public service.
The award is an initiative of Muslim News Nigeria, Nigeria’s most authoritative Islamic newspaper, established to honour Muslim leaders whose conduct in government and public life brings pride to the Ummah while contributing meaningfully to national development.
In a statement signed by the Publisher, Rasheed Abubakar, on Thursday, the newspaper said Governor Zulum emerged after a sustained editorial assessment of his leadership trajectory since assuming office in 2019.
According to the statement, the Award reflects Professor Zulum’s transformational leadership style, defined by courage, accountability, compassion, and uncommon dedication to rebuilding lives and institutions in one of Nigeria’s most conflict-affected states.
“This nomination follows our sustained editorial assessment of Your Excellency’s leadership since your assumption of office in 2019. Muslim News Nigeria has consistently followed and documented your people-centred approach to governance, particularly your hands-on response to security challenges, the resettlement of internally displaced persons, and the rebuilding of critical infrastructures in communities devastated by terrorism and insurgency,” the statement read.
Abubakar noted that Governor Zulum has distinguished himself through frontline leadership, often personally visiting volatile and hard-to-reach communities to assess conditions, supervise projects, and engage directly with residents, security agencies, and traditional institutions. This approach, the organisation said, has helped rebuild public confidence in governance and strengthened cooperation between the government and local communities.
He further highlighted his administration’s deliberate shift from long-term displacement to dignity-driven recovery, with thousands of internally displaced persons resettled from camps into rebuilt communities, supported with housing, livelihood tools, food assistance, healthcare access, and educational opportunities.
Under his leadership, Borno State also recorded significant progress in education, with the reconstruction and rehabilitation of schools destroyed by insurgency, recruitment of teachers, and renewed emphasis on girl-child education.
Similarly, the government has invested heavily in healthcare, constructing and upgrading hospitals and primary healthcare centres across urban and rural areas to improve access for vulnerable populations.
In the area of infrastructure, Professor Zulum’s administration has overseen the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, markets, public buildings, and community facilities, restoring economic activities and normal life in post-conflict areas.
While Governor Zulum is a Muslim, the publisher emphasised that his governance cuts across religious, ethnic, and political boundaries, reflecting inclusive leadership that prioritises competence, equity, and service to all citizens of Borno State.
He recalled that this is not the first time Governor Zulum is being honoured by Muslim News Nigeria. In 2020, at the second edition of the Muslim News Awards (#MNAwards), he was named Nigerian Muslim Personality of the Year, a recognition that received wide national media coverage. A special edition of the newspaper was also published to celebrate him and other award recipients.
“That recognition was informed by the same conviction we hold today: that Governor Zulum represents a model of ethical, service-driven leadership worthy of emulation,” the Publisher stated.
Following Governor Zulum’s re-election for a second term running until 2027, Abubakar said it has continued to closely monitor the administration and remains confident in its sustained positive impact, not only on Borno State but on Nigeria as a whole.
The Transformational Leadership Award, the statement added, is part of Muslim News Nigeria’s broader mission to promote accountable leadership, good governance, and excellence in public service, while spotlighting Muslim leaders whose achievements inspire unity, resilience, and hope.
Abubakar congratulated Professor Babagana Umara Zulum on the honour, describing it as recognition of both measurable achievements and enduring leadership values that continue to uplift communities and strengthen the nation.
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