The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Professor Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Shehu Usman Osidi; and the Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Khalil Suleiman Halilu, were selected as recipients of the 2025 Blueprint Awards schedule for August 18, 2026.
The selection followed a rigorous assessment of their outstanding performances in public service.
Managing Director of Blueprint Newspapers Limited, Salisu Umar, disclosed this while explaining the basis for selecting this year’s award recipients.
According to him, the three chief executives distinguished themselves through visible accomplishments that have contributed significantly to national development in their respective sectors.
He said Professor Adeyanju was honoured with the Enhanced Digital Infrastructure Award in recognition of his leadership at Galaxy Backbone Limited, where the organisation has expanded digital infrastructure, strengthened government connectivity, improved data management capabilities and supported the Federal Government’s drive towards a digitally enabled public service.
Umar said Galaxy Backbone has continued to play a central role in providing secure information and communication technology infrastructure for ministries, departments and agencies, making digital governance more efficient and accessible.
He also explained that Shehu Usman Osidi emerged as the recipient of the Public Sector Executive of the Year in Housing and Mortgage Award following notable improvements in the operations of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.
According to him, the FMBN has recorded significant progress in expanding access to affordable housing finance, strengthening mortgage administration and introducing reforms aimed at making home ownership more attainable for Nigerians.
He added that Osidi’s leadership has enhanced the bank’s capacity to deliver on its mandate while promoting greater confidence in the nation’s mortgage system.
Speaking on the choice of Khalil Suleiman Halilu, Umar said the NASENI Executive Vice Chairman earned the CEO of the Year Award based on policies and programmes that have accelerated innovation, strengthened local manufacturing and promoted technology-driven industrial development.
He stated that under Halilu’s leadership, NASENI has intensified efforts to commercialise research outcomes, encourage indigenous production and support enterprises capable of creating employment and reducing dependence on imported technologies.
Umar stressed that the Blueprint Newspaper’s Annual Public Lecture, Impact Series and Awards remain dedicated to recognising individuals and institutions whose contributions have produced visible results and advanced national development.
He explained that recipients were selected after careful evaluation by the newspaper’s Award Selection Committee, with emphasis on tangible achievements, institutional impact, innovation and service delivery.
“The awards celebrate excellence rooted in performance. Every recipient emerged through a thorough assessment of verifiable accomplishments within the period under review,” he said.
About the awardees
Professor Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB), Nigeria’s leading government ICT infrastructure provider under the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. A First Class Computer Engineering graduate of LAUTECH, he earned his MSc and PhD in Computing from Robert Gordon University, United Kingdom, where he specialised in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing, before completing a postdoctoral fellowship in information retrieval.
Before joining GBB, he was Professor of Intelligent Systems and pioneer Director of Quality Assurance at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti. He became Executive Director of Digital Exploration and Technical Services in 2023 and was appointed MD/CEO in March 2024.
Under his leadership, Galaxy Backbone has strengthened Nigeria’s digital infrastructure through its nationwide fibre-optic network, Tier III and Tier IV data centres, National Shared Services Centre and 24-hour Cybersecurity Operations Centre. The organisation continues to provide secure broadband, cloud services, data hosting, cybersecurity and digital solutions for government institutions, driving digital governance and improved public service delivery.
Professor Adeyanju has championed innovation, capacity development and technology partnerships, positioning Galaxy Backbone as a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital transformation and a cornerstone of the country’s modern ICT ecosystem.
Shehu Usman Osidi
Shehu Usman Osidi is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), bringing over three decades of banking and housing finance experience to the institution. He began his banking career in 1990 and held senior leadership positions at Lion Bank, Diamond Bank, Intercontinental Bank and Afreximbank before joining FMBN in 2010.
Before he was appointed MD/CEO, he served as Special Assistant on Housing and Chief of Staff to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, where he helped align the ministry’s housing agenda with the Renewed Hope programme.
During his career at FMBN, Osidi played a leading role in developing innovative mortgage products, including the Cooperative Housing Development Loan, Home Renovation Loan, Rent-to-Own and Diaspora NHF Mortgage Scheme. These initiatives expanded housing finance, increased financial inclusion and facilitated thousands of affordable housing opportunities for Nigerians.
A graduate of Bayero University, Kano, with an MBA, Osidi is affiliated with several professional bodies and is an alumnus of both Harvard Kennedy School and the Wharton School. His leadership continues to strengthen Nigeria’s housing finance system and broaden access to affordable home ownership.
Khalil Suleiman Halilu
Khalil Suleiman Halilu is the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), where he is driving the agency’s transformation into a leading force for technology, innovation and industrial development in Nigeria.
A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, with degrees in Business Administration and International Business, Halilu built a successful career as an entrepreneur, technology investor and venture builder before joining public service. He founded several innovative businesses, including ShapShap Logistics and The CANs, an innovation hub supporting start-ups and technology entrepreneurs.
Since assuming office, he has repositioned NASENI around three priorities, Creation, Collaboration and Commercialisation, aimed at converting research into marketable products, strengthening indigenous manufacturing, expanding partnerships and accelerating technology transfer.
Under his leadership, NASENI has intensified programmes in renewable energy, agricultural mechanisation, precision engineering, digital technology and local manufacturing while promoting commercialisation of homegrown innovations. His vision is to establish science, engineering and technology as major drivers of industrialisation, economic diversification and national competitiveness, positioning NASENI as one of Africa’s foremost innovation institutions.