The Sun Awards 2026 Honours 45 'Nation Builders' Across Politics, Business, Security and Sport

On the night of the ceremony, The Sun Publishing Limited, the house behind Daily Sun, Saturday Sun, Sunday Sun and Sporting Sun, gathered government officials, business leaders and entertainers to honour 45 Nigerians. The 2026 edition of The Sun Awards ran under the theme 'Nation Builders' and drew its honourees from politics, governance, public service, business, security, entertainment, sports and philanthropy.

According to the organisation's management, the awardees were chosen for leadership, innovation, enterprise and service that they say have contributed to Nigeria's development, stability and progress. The top prize, Man of the Year, went to Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State. Six governors shared the Governor of the Year award: Hyacinth Alia of Benue, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Umar Namadi of Jigawa, Uba Sani of Kaduna and Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi. Hajiya Huriyya Dauda Lawal, First Lady of Zamfara State, was named First Lady of the Year, and Oluwatosin Ajayi, Director-General of the Department of State Services, received the Courage in Leadership Award.

The legislature featured prominently. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele was named Senator of the Year, and former Zamfara governor Abdulaziz Yari took Political Icon of the Year. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu was honoured as Most Innovative Legislator, and Muktar Aliyu Betara, who represents a Borno State constituency, was House of Representatives Member of the Year. Information Minister Mohammed Idris and Education Minister Tunji Alausa shared the Minister of the Year award. The musician Chinedu Izuchukwu Okoli, known as Flavour, received Creative Icon of the Year.

Five people received Lifetime Achievement Awards: Gbenga Daniel, the former Ogun governor and serving senator; Archbishop Margaret Benson-Idahosa of the Church of God Mission International; Teju Phillips, former chairman of Lasaco Assurance; former Anambra governor Jim Nwobodo; and Abdullahi Ganduje, former national chairman of the APC. Public Service Personality awards went to Abubakar Dantsoho of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Aminu Maida of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Sonny Echono of TETFund and Kunemofa Asu of the NDDC.

Business categories were broad. UBA's group managing director, Oliver Alawuba, was Banker of the Year, and Access Bank Plc was Bank of the Year. The National Automotive Design and Development Council, led by Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, was Parastatal of the Year. Real Estate Icon went to Samuel Ajose of Levitikal Group and Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac of Homadil Realty. Joseph Ukeji and George Obi were named Entrepreneurs of the Year; Sunday Ezeobiora and Anthony Obele, Investors of the Year; Williams Agbo, Ikenna Ekeagu and Badamasi Burji, Industrialists of the Year; and Kester Agwu and RemiChris Nwagbo took the Hospitality Icon award.

Other honours included Sports Personality of the Year for golf promoter Leo Edochie, Humanitarian Service Icon for Friday Nwabueze Umeh and Abraham Ikechukwu Otti, Royal Father of the Year for Alexander Uzo Onyido, the Igwe of Ogidi, and Young Achiever for Chima Christian, co-founder of Teva Foods. The Nigerian Hero Award returned this year and went to Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke, an autistic Guinness World Records holder whose art and advocacy have drawn international attention to Autism Spectrum Disorder.

In his speech, Onuoha Ukeh, the company's managing director and editor-in-chief, called the theme both a tribute and a challenge, asking each guest what they are doing to build the Nigeria of their dreams. He named poverty, unemployment, insecurity, inequality and weak institutions as obstacles, argued that nation-building is a collective duty rather than government's alone, and said leadership should be measured by its impact on people's lives, not titles or applause.

Founder Orji Uzor Kalu stressed in his welcome address that the awards are non-partisan. He said the platform is tied to no party and recognises the best regardless of affiliation, and he called it the biggest awards event in Africa. He also recalled stepping aside from the paper's leadership four or five years ago. Away from the stage, the evening was also a networking occasion, with business cards exchanged and bespoke tailoring on the red carpet. The honours are chosen and presented by the organiser itself, so the selections reflect its judgment rather than independent assessment.