Dave Umahi to Receive Silverbird Extraordinary Personality of the Year Award
Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has been named recipient of the Silverbird Extraordinary Personality of the Year Award, organisers of the prestigious Silverbird Man of the Year ceremony have announced.
Umahi will be honoured at the grand finale of the 2025 Silverbird Man of the Year Awards scheduled for March 1, 2026, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
A trained civil engineer, administrator, and politician, Umahi currently serves as Nigeria’s Minister of Works, overseeing federal highway development and strategic national road infrastructure. He is widely recognised for his infrastructure-driven leadership, first demonstrated during his tenure as Governor of Ebonyi State from 2015 to 2023.
Before becoming governor, he served as Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State between 2011 and 2015. His administration as governor prioritised large-scale road and bridge construction, urban renewal in Abakaliki, and industrial projects, including cement and agro-processing initiatives aimed at expanding the state’s economic base.
In 2020, Umahi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing concerns over the political marginalisation of Nigeria’s South-East region. In August 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed him Minister of Works, entrusting him with the continuation of major national highway projects, including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and nationwide expressway rehabilitation.
Umahi is known for his advocacy of concrete-pavement road technology and the use of locally sourced construction materials, as well as his hands-on supervision of projects through frequent site inspections.
A recipient of the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), Umahi is regarded as one of Nigeria’s most prominent infrastructure-focused public officials, with influence spanning state and federal development policy.
The Silverbird Extraordinary Personality of the Year Award recognises individuals whose leadership and achievements have significantly impacted national growth and public service.
