The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has honoured His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Uba Sani, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, with a Special Recognition Award for his exemplary leadership and transformative governance anchored on youth empowerment, innovation, and inclusive development.
The award was presented at the official opening of the PGF Quarterly Meeting of Honourable Commissioners for Youth and Sports in APC-Governed States, held at the Stonehedge Hotel, on Thursday, 7th August 2025. The recognition, led by the PGF Director-General, Mr. Folorunso S. Aluko, highlighted Governor Sani’s unwavering dedication to progressive values and measurable development across key sectors.
In his citation, the PGF Secretariat described Governor Uba Sani as “a visionary, reform-minded, and people-driven leader whose tenure exemplifies the ideals of progressive governance.” The forum praised his achievements in education, digital learning, industrialisation, agricultural modernisation, and health interventions, all driven by a data-informed and transparent approach to leadership.
The Governor’s contributions to peace-building, unity, and economic inclusion also stood out. His administration’s investments in security, human capital development, and rural transformation were acknowledged as benchmarks for subnational governance in Nigeria.
The honour was accepted on behalf of the Governor, by his Deputy. Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe.
She delivered the Governor’s official opening address, where he welcomed delegates to Kaduna and emphasised that the meeting was not just a routine gathering, but a platform for practical solutions and policy realignment. He noted that Kaduna is not only hosting the meeting but also standing as a model of youth-focused, people-centred governance.
Governor Sani highlighted initiatives such as the Kaduna Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (K-YEEP), which has supported over 6,000 startups in less than two years, and the Kaduna TechHUBs, which train young people in AI, cybersecurity, and robotics. In sports, the state’s Grassroots Sports Acceleration Initiative and the renovation of 18 community sports centres were presented as proof of Kaduna’s commitment to youth development and national unity.
He also shared the state’s model for governance inclusion, citing the Kaduna Youth Advisory Council as a tool for mainstreaming youth voices in policy decisions.
The Governor further commended the PGF Secretariat for strengthening state visibility and unity through innovative documentation tools such as the PGF Executive Briefs, Weekly Pulse in five languages, and development tracking initiatives.
Governor Sani called on Commissioners to move beyond policy discussions and begin measuring success through impact metrics such as jobs created, businesses launched, sports medals won, and community solutions implemented.
In conclusion, he urged that the event should mark a new beginning for inter-state collaboration, national alignment, and a youth governance framework that leaves no one behind.
In her remarks, Hon. Barr. Gloria Ibrahim, Kaduna State Commissioner for Youth Development, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to collaborative action. She stated:
She said, “We gather not just for a meeting, but for a mission: to transform the narrative of youth development across our Progressive States.”
She further urged fellow Commissioners to move beyond paperwork and make actionable commitments:
“Let us leave here with more than documents; let us forge actionable commitments. Commitments that ensure no young person’s potential is shackled by their postcode,” she added.
Commissioner Gloria Ibrahim also called on the Forum to adopt Kaduna’s innovative 70-20-10 Model in youth empowerment strategies, which advocates for 70% practical skills, 20% mentorship, and 10% theory as the optimal development mix for impactful results.
