Lawal received the award at the seventh ZIK International Peace and Leadership Award ceremony held on Friday at the British Council in Accra.
The event featured a lecture titled, “Leadership, Peace, and Regional Integration: Advancing Africa’s Development in a Changing Global Order.”
According to the organisers, Lawal was recognised for his administration’s progress in public sector leadership and economic reforms in Zamfara State, among other considerations.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ZIK Pan-African Award, His Royal Highness Professor Echefuna R.G. Onyeabadi, said the award was established to honour individuals who have made meaningful contributions to the service of their people.
While receiving the award, Lawal dedicated the honour to the people of Zamfara State and said it would motivate his administration to intensify its efforts to transform the state.
“This award is dedicated to all the people of Zamfara State. My administration has been working tirelessly to ensure the state can compete with any other in Nigeria. That was our promise and we have surpassed expectations in just three years,” he said.
The governor highlighted some of his administration’s projects and reforms, including urban renewal initiatives, the construction of a modern airport and reforms in security, education, healthcare and the civil service.
Lawal said the construction of the airport was significant because Zamfara had not benefited from such infrastructure in more than 30 years since the creation of the state.
“We have made great strides in security, civil service reform, education, health and other sectors,” he added.
Lawal thanked the organisers for the recognition, saying the award would encourage him to do more for the people of the state.
“It means a lot to me and will motivate me to do even more for my people. Zamfara is on the rise,” he said.
