Tinubu warns public officers as corruption threatens effective governance
- Dec 8, 2025
- 2 min read
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday issued a firm warning to public officers as rising corruption continues to undermine effective governance and weaken public institutions. He said Nigeria could not afford practices that eroded public trust at a time when the nation was striving to rebuild confidence in leadership.
Speaking at the Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS) held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja, the President represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume described public service as a sacred national duty that required discipline, accountability and unwavering integrity.
He cautioned that acts of corruption, ranging from nepotism and cronyism to political patronage and weak accountability structures, continued to damage national development. Tinubu urged public officers to rise above entrenched habits and commit to transparent, innovative service delivery.
The President commended the organisers of the NEAPS awards for maintaining what he called a credible, merit-based, private-sector-driven assessment system. He noted that the 50 honourees were selected based on empirical performance data rather than political influence, emphasizing that such honesty was necessary to strengthen institutions.
He explained that the awards were designed to encourage diligence among public servants and inspire higher standards of professionalism. Tinubu said the government expected excellence at all levels of governance, as poor performance and corrupt practices had remained major obstacles to national progress.
“This award is a validation of your efforts and a motivation to continue working towards a better Nigeria. Corruption continues to erode effective public service delivery, and we must rise above it if we intend to build institutions the people can trust,” the President said through the SGF.
“This private-sector-driven initiative independently assessed public officers, and today’s recipients reflect the outcome of that rigorous process. It is a scorecard for our public service, and I am glad Mr President is here to recognise and challenge everyone to do even more,” the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, added.
The event also honoured key public officials including Senator George Akume; Mohammed Idris; Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike; Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; and several state governors and agency heads. The NEAPS Awards is a private-sector initiative organised by The Best Strategic Media in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
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