By Our Correspondent
Abuja played host to a distinguished gathering of Nigeria’s reform-minded leaders, innovators, culture & tourism, creatives, and public servants as the Portfolio Impact Summit & Awards 2025 took place on Saturday, December 6, celebrating individuals and institutions that are shaping the nation’s future through service, innovation, and people-centered leadership.
Organised by Gems Portfolio Ltd, the summit and award dinner recognised excellence across public service, enterprise, culture, media, tourism, technology, and governance. The 2025 edition was held under the theme “Resilience, Innovation & Cultural Excellence: Shaping Africa’s Future,” a call to spotlight leadership models rooted in integrity, cultural identity, and sustainable impact.
Convener of the Portfolio Impact Awards, Greg Dyondun, said the initiative was deliberately designed to amplify positive narratives and recognize contributors whose work often goes unnoticed despite its far-reaching impact.
“The motive is to recognize people who demonstrate exceptional dedication to service, care, and love for society,” Dyondun noted. “You don’t have to be a politician or extremely wealthy before your contribution counts. In every little space, people are doing meaningful work, preserving culture, promoting tourism, and strengthening identity and values. This platform exists to encourage them to do more. This is just the beginning, and by the grace of God, we will do this every year.”
Declaring the event open, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief (Hon.) Dr. Martin Ojie Orim, represented by Mr. Chris Bakeh, commended the organisers for their resilience and commitment to promoting tourism, culture and responsible journalism. He described the initiative as timely, particularly in a period when Nigeria requires renewed focus on values, leadership accountability and national cohesion.
While receiving his Leadership, Governance & Community Advancement Award, the Chairman expressed gratitude for the recognition, describing it as both humbling and energising. “It is an honour to be recognised for service. Appreciation like this strengthens one’s resolve to do more for the community and society at large,” he said.
One of the highlights of the evening was the Public Service Excellence Award presented to Mrs. Zarah Mantu Mohammed, Head of News and Current Affairs at Aso Radio and Television, in recognition of over 17 years of outstanding contributions to broadcast journalism and her unwavering commitment to credible, ethical and impactful reporting within the Federal Capital Territory and beyond.
Accepting the award, Zarah Mohammed dedicated the honour to her entire team. “This honour belongs to the entire newsroom, every staff member who works tirelessly to inform, educate and serve the public with integrity. It is a motivation to do even more,” she said.
Several honourees echoed similar sentiments, emphasising empowerment, apprenticeship and human capacity development as critical tools for sustainable community growth.
Sir Uche Nweke, recipient of the Enterprise Leadership & Community Impact Award, emphasized the importance of wealth distribution through capacity building as a keypathway to societal development. “You cannot truly take care of a community without empowering people. By building human resource capacity and spreading opportunity through apprenticeship systems, wealth and impact can reach many,” he stated.
Tourism advocate Houmam J. Lababidi, who received the Tourism Advocacy & Cultural Ambassador Award, expressed appreciation to the organisers for recognising his long-standing efforts in promoting Nigeria on the global stage, describing the award as “a call to do more and do it better.”
Hon. Loveth Izekor, honoured with the Trailblazer Award for Women’s Leadership, Enterprise & Community Impact, noted that recognition reinforces commitment, even when impact work appears modest at the outset.
Similarly, Ikemhe Ekwere Bello, recipient of the Trailblazer for Women’s Empowerment & Creative Excellence Award, described the honour as renewed motivation to intensify her advocacy for the girl child. “This award is another spark to do more, empowering girls and transforming lives. To God be the glory,” she said.
Beyond individual accolades, the ceremony reinforced the Portfolio Impact Awards’ growing reputation as a credible platform championing responsible leadership, inclusive development, youth empowerment, cultural identity and social accountability in Nigeria.
Other distinguished honourees at the 2025 edition included: Arc. Faisal Hamidu (Portfolio Legacy Icon Award); Amb. Ifeanyi Augustin Obaemeka (Enterprise Development & Inspirational Leadership Award); Eddy Bassey Orok (Excellence in Financial Inclusion & Institutional Leadership Award); Amb. Dr. Daniel Omofoman (Excellence in Technology Innovation & Corporate Leadership Award); Olufunmi Olaosun (Youth Empowerment Champion Award); Ienre John (Media Freedom & Impact Award); Adedeji Ekundayo and Adebayo Winsala of Raven Afrikulture (African Creative Economy & Cultural Innovation Leadership Awards); Uzochukwudinma Awele Otakpor (Emerging Leader in Governance, Accountability & Social Impact Award); Samuel Gift Onyinye Ola, popularly known as Ninnah (Trailblazer in Legal Innovation & Digital Justice Award); Ngozi John-Uyah (Integrity & Cultural Leadership Excellence Award); Matthew Etta (Excellence in Finance, Innovation & Human-Centred Development Award); Dr. Fidelis Imhoagene Ebikhumi (Excellence in Financial Leadership & Professional Integrity Award); and Daniel Emmanuel Goodluck (Emerging Leadership & Youth Development Recognition Award).
The summit segment featured thought-provoking conversations on governance, leadership, creative economy, financial inclusion, technology, tourism, media freedom and youth development. Speakers included Oyem Blessing Ngozi, Director of Youth Engagement and Inclusion at the National Orientation Agency; Ngozi John-Uyah, Executive Director of Global Knight Foundation; Sunday Chibuikem Samuel of Ninnah Attorneys; and Blessing C. Agu (Newest), Strategy and Research Lead at DEAN Initiative.
Notably, the 2025 summit introduced a refreshed, conversational format, moving away from lengthy keynote addresses to short, focused insights followed by interactive dialogue. The three-hour session was structured to encourage exchange, reflection and practical engagement, reinforcing the summit’s people-centred philosophy.
As the curtains fell on the 2025 edition, the Portfolio Impact Summit & Awards firmly positioned itself as a vital national platform, celebrating excellence, amplifying positive narratives and inspiring a new generation of leaders committed to integrity, innovation and transformation.
Looking ahead, the organisers have announced the 2026 theme: “Empowering Communities: The Human Face of Innovation,” with the tagline “Where Technology, Culture & Humanity Converge.” The upcoming edition promises to spotlight innovation not merely as technology, but as resilience, indigenous knowledge, social enterprise and community-driven solutions, reaffirming Africa’s people as the true drivers of sustainable progress.
