Nasarawa ACReSAL Earns National Ethics Award as Project Coordinator Bags Integrity Icon of Nigeria Award.
The Nasarawa State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project has received national recognition for its outstanding commitment to ethical leadership, transparency, accountability and excellence in public service, further reinforcing its growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s leading environmental and climate resilience programmes.
The recognition came during a prestigious investiture and award ceremony organized by the Centre for Ethics and Self-Value Orientation (CESVO), an internationally recognized anti-corruption and ethics advocacy organization based in Lokoja, Kogi State.
The event brought together public sector leaders and development practitioners to celebrate institutions and individuals whose commitment to integrity and responsible governance continues to strengthen public confidence in government institutions.
The highlight of the ceremony was the conferment of the Integrity Icon of Nigeria (IION) title on the ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Dr. Elias Gyobe Napoleon Ph.D., in recognition of his exemplary ethical leadership, integrity, transparency and dedication to public service.
The Integrity Icon of Nigeria (IION) is the highest honorary distinction conferred by CESVO on outstanding public officials who have demonstrated exceptional integrity and accountability in the discharge of their responsibilities.
As part of the honour, Dr. Elias received an official Letter of Authority granting him the lifelong privilege of appending the title “IION” to his name. He was also presented with an Ethical Conduct Compliance Certificate after recording an impressive performance rating of over 68 percent, surpassing the organization’s benchmark for ethical compliance.
According to CESVO, the comprehensive assessment evaluated his performance across key areas, including administrative discipline, time management, SERVICOM compliance, quality assurance in project implementation, innovation in leadership, transparency in public procurement, staff welfare, ethical governance, stakeholder engagement, participatory leadership and contributions toward hunger and poverty reduction.
In recognition of their dedication to institutional excellence, several principal officers of the Nasarawa State ACReSAL Project also received Letters of Commendation for demonstrating professionalism, accountability and unwavering commitment to quality public service.
The agency itself was honoured with the prestigious Corporate Ethics and Integrity Compliance Award Certificate, in acknowledgment of its strong institutional culture of transparency, ethical governance and efficient project delivery.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Director of CESVO, Ethicist (Prince) Salih Musa Yakubu, described Nasarawa ACReSAL as one of Nigeria’s most ethically compliant ecological intervention Projects.
He disclosed that the project distinguished itself during the organization’s comprehensive evaluation process, earning a cumulative score that placed it among the Top Ten Most Ethically Compliant ACReSAL Projects in Nigeria.
Prince Yakubu attributed the recognition to the agency’s consistent adherence to ethical standards, transparency, accountability and quality service delivery.
He further revealed that CESVO has trained more than 47,000 public servants across Nigeria over the past five years through donor-supported programmes aimed at promoting ethical values, transparency and integrity within public institutions.
As part of the incentives accompanying the award, CESVO announced the allocation of 100 fully sponsored training slots for staff of the Nasarawa ACReSAL Project.
The two-day intensive in-house capacity-building programme will focus on ethical leadership, institutional accountability, public service excellence, climate resilience and sustainable landscape management. The initiative is expected to strengthen staff capacity and further enhance the quality of environmental and climate resilience interventions being implemented across communities in Nasarawa State.
The latest recognition adds to the growing list of achievements recorded by Nasarawa ACReSAL Project in advancing sustainable land restoration, combating land degradation, strengthening food security, improving rural livelihoods and building resilience against the effects of climate change.
Beyond its environmental and socio-economic interventions, the project has continued to distinguish itself through a governance model anchored on integrity, transparency, accountability and inclusive stakeholder engagement.
Declaring the investiture a flagship initiative of the organization, Prince Yakubu said the recognition programme is designed to promote ethical leadership and inspire greater accountability across Nigeria’s public institutions.
The honours bestowed on the Nasarawa ACReSAL and its leadership underscore the growing national recognition of the project’s commitment to responsible governance, institutional excellence and sustainable development, while setting a high standard for public sector organizations and development intervention programmes across the country.
Reacting to the honour, the State Project Coordinator Nasarawa ACReSAL, Dr. Elias Gyobe Napoleon, Ph.D., IION, expressed profound appreciation to the Centre for Ethics and Self-Value Orientation (CESVO) for finding him and the project worthy of the prestigious recognition.
Dr. Elias described the award as a great honour and a testament to the collective commitment, hard work and dedication of the entire Nasarawa State ACReSAL team toward promoting transparency, accountability and excellence in public service.
He noted that the recognition would serve as a source of motivation to further strengthen ethical leadership, institutional integrity and quality service delivery in the implementation of the project’s climate resilience and sustainable landscape restoration interventions across the state.“I sincerely appreciate the Centre for Ethics and Self-Value Orientation for considering me worthy of this prestigious honour. I dedicate this recognition to the entire Nasarawa State ACReSAL team, whose commitment, professionalism and unwavering support have made this achievement possible. This honour is not an end in itself, rather, it is an encouragement and a challenge for us to do even more in delivering impactful, transparent and people-centred development interventions for the benefit of our communities and the people of Nasarawa State,” he said.
ACReSAL: Greening the Environment, Saving Lives…
Communications
NAS-ACReSAL
9th July, 2026.
