By Mustapha Salisu
Kano State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, on Thursday received the BusinessDay Newspaper 2026 Governor of the Year Award on behalf of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, in recognition of the administration’s achievements in governance, economic development and investment readiness.
The award was presented during the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum held at the Eko Hotel, Lagos, where Kano State was also recognised for its competitiveness and investment readiness.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Thursday.
Presenting the award, the Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of BusinessDay Newspaper, Frank Aigbogun, said Governor Yusuf was recognised under the States Competitiveness and Investment Readiness Awards (SCIRA) as the BusinessDay Governor of the Year 2026.
The event, attended by top government officials, featured the Deputy Governor receiving the honour on behalf of Governor Yusuf. Dignitaries at the ceremony included the Minister of Finance, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and other distinguished leaders from the public and private sectors.
In an acceptance speech delivered by the Deputy Governor, Governor Yusuf described the award as recognition of the collective efforts of the Kano State Government in delivering people-centred governance and implementing reforms that have repositioned the state for sustainable growth.
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He noted that the recognition by one of Nigeria’s foremost business and economic newspapers underscores the impact of his administration’s investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, commerce, industrial development and social welfare.
Governor Yusuf reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening Kano’s position as Northern Nigeria’s commercial hub through policies that promote investment, support small and medium enterprises, modernise markets, enhance agricultural value chains and create employment opportunities for young people.
The Governor dedicated the award to the people of Kano State, members of the State Executive Council, the Legislature, the Judiciary, traditional and religious leaders, civil servants, development partners and the private sector for their support and contributions to the state’s development.
He assured that the recognition would further inspire his administration to deepen transparency, accountability and inclusive governance while delivering more developmental projects that improve the lives of the people.
