…dedicates award to Nigerians
Dr. Abba Aliyu, Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), has been recognised as the Public Sector CEO of the Year at the Nigerian NewsDirect 15th Anniversary and Award Ceremony.
The recognition was one of the major highlights of the event, which held in Lagos over the weekend.
Delivering his remarks, Prince Mathew Ibiyemi, Publisher and Executive Director of NewsDirect, said the award underscores the significant strides made by the REA under Dr. Aliyu’s leadership in bridging Nigeria’s energy deficit.
According to him, the recognition validates the impact of recent initiatives introduced by the REA MD, aimed at deploying sustainable energy solutions to unserved and underserved communities across the country.
In his acceptance speech, the Managing Director dedicated the award to the citizens benefiting from the Agency’s interventions, emphasizing that the recognition extends beyond leadership to the tangible impact on the ground.
“I am deeply humbled to receive this award. However, as I stated on the stage, this recognition is far bigger than one individual; it belongs to the millions of Nigerians whose lives are being transformed through access to reliable electricity,” the MD stated.
“It belongs to the market woman who no longer spends half her income on diesel, to the student who can now study at night, and to the young innovator building new solutions because the lights stay on.”
The REA has recently intensified its efforts through programs such as the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) and the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP).
These initiatives focus on utilizing renewable energy to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life in rural areas.
Attributing the success of the Agency to a collective effort, the MD expressed profound gratitude to the Federal Government and his team.
“My sincere appreciation goes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the opportunity to serve, and to my incredible team at the Rural Electrification Agency, the real heroes of this story.
I also thank our development partners and private sector collaborators for their unwavering support,” he added.
Addressing the guests present at the event, the MD used the platform to inspire the next generation and his peers in governance.
He charged Nigerian youths to embrace hard work and resilience, noting that success is accessible to anyone regardless of their background.
He further called on colleagues across the public sector to continue pushing boundaries and leading with integrity to build a prosperous Nigeria.
Other dignitaries at the event includes the Lagos State Governor represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr Lanre Adetokunbo Bajulaye (Man of the Year), The Olota of Ota, Oba (Prof) Adeyemi Abdulkabir Obalanlege (Royal father of the day), Chairman of Gibraltar Construction Nigeria Limited, Sir Olu Okeowo (Special guest of honour), Managing Director of Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority, Engr (Dr) Adedeji Ashiru (Award of Exemplary Leadership in Public Service), Hon.Benjamin Olabinjo, Member representing Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency (Lawmaker of the Year), Managing Director of Fidelity Bank ably represented by the Executive Director, Risk Management, Kevin Ugwuoke, amongst other distinguished personalities.
The Rural Electrification Agency remains committed to its mandate of providing equitable access to electricity, viewing this award not as a destination, but as a motivation to accelerate its electrification targets.
