DOUBLE HONOUR FOR GOV. KEFAS AS DAILY TIMES, LEADERSHIP NAME TARABA GOV AMONG 2026 TOP PERFORMERS
Daily Times names him Outstanding Governor, North East as LEADERSHIP crowns him Governor of the Year
By Taraba News | Jalingo
Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, has received a major boost to his administration’s national profile following two high-profile recognitions by leading Nigerian newspapers, with Daily Times Nigeria naming him Outstanding Governor in the North East and LEADERSHIP Newspapers selecting him as Governor of the Year 2026.
The double recognition comes as the Kefas administration approaches another critical phase of its tenure and political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Daily Times selected Kefas for its Outstanding Governor, North East Award as part of activities marking the newspaper’s historic 100th anniversary.
The award is part of the Daily Times Nigeria @100 Times Heroes Awards, bringing together prominent political, business and public-sector figures selected for recognition as the newspaper celebrates a century of journalism and nation-building.
The formal centenary awards ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the THISDAY Dome in Abuja.
KEFAS, ALAKE MOVE TO OPEN TARABA’S MINERAL WEALTH TO INVESTORS
Kefas is one of six governors selected to represent outstanding leadership across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
Others include Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom for the South South, Peter Mbah of Enugu for the South East, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara for the North West, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos for the South West and Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa for the North Central.
The Taraba governor’s latest recognition comes alongside another major honour from LEADERSHIP Newspapers, which named him its Governor of the Year 2026.
According to LEADERSHIP, Kefas was selected following an assessment of his administration’s interventions in education, road infrastructure, agriculture, youth empowerment, healthcare, institutional reforms, environmental sustainability and peacebuilding.
EDUCATION FEATURES PROMINENTLY
Education was identified as one of the major areas behind the LEADERSHIP recognition.
The newspaper highlighted the administration’s free education policy at primary and secondary school levels as well as the 50 per cent reduction in tuition and other fees at state-owned tertiary institutions.
It also cited the government’s approval of more than ₦1.6 billion for NECO examination fees for 44,133 candidates and an estimated ₦1.39 billion for WAEC fees for 39,536 students.
Teacher development, digital learning initiatives and interventions at Taraba State University were also identified among measures taken by the administration in the education sector.
ROADS, AGRICULTURE AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
On infrastructure, attention was drawn to ongoing road projects, including the Mararaba-Baissa, Takum-Lissam and Ibi-Nwonyo roads, which the government says are designed to improve connectivity and stimulate economic activities in communities across the state.
In agriculture, the administration’s establishment of Taraba Seed Production Limited, participation in the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project and the state’s artificial insemination programme were among initiatives highlighted.
Youth empowerment also featured prominently.
More than 200 young people were reported to have received ₦500,000 each, while the state has developed a Youth Development Roadmap 2026–2031, focusing on entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and employment opportunities.
Initiatives in healthcare, disaster preparedness, land administration, climate action, security and inclusive governance were also cited.
THREE NATIONAL RECOGNITIONS IN WEEKS
The Daily Times and LEADERSHIP honours mean the Taraba governor has now attracted a series of national media recognitions within a relatively short period.
Only weeks earlier, Kefas received Blueprint Newspaper’s Inclusive Development and Social Integration Award in Abuja, an honour linked to initiatives in education, public participation and social cohesion.
The latest recognitions therefore amount to three notable national media awards within weeks for the Taraba governor.
For Daily Times, the recognition is particularly symbolic as the newspaper celebrates 100 years of existence, having first appeared in 1926 and subsequently chronicled some of the most significant events in Nigeria’s political and social history.
The Daily Times centenary honours will also recognise several prominent Nigerians, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and businessman Aliko Dangote.
Former African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina is expected to receive a Global Impact Award and deliver the keynote address.
For Taraba, Kefas’ selection by both Daily Times and LEADERSHIP places the state and the performance of his administration under renewed national spotlight.
While residents will ultimately make their own assessment of the government’s performance across education, infrastructure, healthcare, security and the economy, the succession of national recognitions indicates growing attention outside the state to the policies and programmes being implemented by the Kefas administration.
