Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is 115th on ABU honorary degree recipients list
Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is the 115th recipient of the honorary degree of Ahmadu Bello University since the institution started giving such an honor 63 years ago.
This is according to a list of ABU Honorary Degree Awards from 1963 to 2025 as released by the university during its 45th Convocation Ceremony that was held on Saturday, 31st January, 2026.
The university, at the 45th Convocation Ceremony, conferred an Honorary Doctor of Science Degree Honoris Causa on Okonjo-Iweala, GCON.
This was in acknowledgment of her exceptional contributions to national and global developments.
Okonjo-Iweala, former Minister of Finance, is known for her significant contributions to global economic governance, public service, and unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and service to humanity.
She was one of the two outstanding personalities recommended for the award of honorary degrees in 2025. She was unable to attend last year’s convocation to receive the degree due circumstances beyond her control.
ABU confers honorary degrees on only persons who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to learning in their field of specialization or community service.
It also recognises persons who have made significant contribution to the nation in public service, commerce, business, industry, science and technology.
Persons who have made significant contribution to the cultural life of the nation by their work in the various arts are also considered by the university for such an honor.
The university recognized a total of 115 persons since 1963 when it first started awarding honorary degrees.
The founder of the university and Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto; and Prime Minister of Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa were the first recipients of ABU honorary degrees on 21st November, 1963.
The Governor of Northern Nigeria, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim; Northern Nigeria Minister of Finance, Alhaji Aliyu Makaman Bida; and Mai Bede, Alhaji Umaru Sulaiman, were also among the first set of personalities to be conferred with ABU honorary degrees on 21st November, 1963.
All the the five distinguished Nigerians were conferred with Honorary Doctor of Law Degree Honoris Causa.
Other recipients of the institution’s honorary degrees included Nigeria’s first President, Dr Nnamdi Azikwe; former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon; Second Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shagari; and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
They also comprised Nigeria’s former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida; former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar; and former Military Governor of Northern Nigeria, General Hassan Usman Katsina.
Equally, the Sultan of Sokoto, Sir Abubakar Siddiq III; Premier of Western Nigeria, Chief Obafemi Awolowo; Oba Akenzua of Benin; Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Aliyu Mustapha; and Oba of Benin, Omo N’ OBa Eredianuwa made the list.
Others were Etsu Nupe, Umaru Sanda Ndayako; Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris; the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III; and Magajin Garin Zazzau, Alhaji Nuhu Bamalli, the father of the present Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, CFR.
A number of distinguished African leaders were equally honoured with the institution’s honorary degrees. They included former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr Kofi Annan.
Other African leaders honoured were President Ahmadu Ahidjo (Cameroon), President Samora M M Machel (Mozambique), President Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe), President Sekou Toure (Guinea), President Nelson Mandela (South Africa), President Sam Nujoma (Namibia), and President Thabo Mbeki (South Africa).
The university on 18th January, 1992 conferred an Honorary Doctor of Law on President Jimmy Carter of the United States of America. This was in addition to four other eminent Americans recognised by the university.
Minister of Education for Northern Nigeria, Alhaji Isa Kaita; Second Republic presidential candidate for People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Malam Aminu; and Nigeria’s former Representative to the United Nations, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule were recognised by the university.
Other recipients of ABU honorary degrees were former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Sir Adetokumbo Ademola; and former President of Federal Court of Appeal, Justice Mamman Nasir.
They also included Justice Mohammed Bello, Justice Muhammad Lawal Uwais, Justice Buba Ardo, and Justice Udo Udoma.
Equally, the university honoured former Chief of Army Staff and a one Minister Defence, General T Y Danjuma, as well as two Kano business moguls, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, and Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mother, Chief Abibatu Mogaji was recognised by the university as one of the recipients of the institution’s honorary degree on 24th November, 2012.
Grand Khadi for Northern Nigeria, Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi; Bishop John W L Mort, a Briton; and Sheikh Sharif Saleh Al-Hussain were among the clerics the university recognized.
Renowned Hausa musician, Alhaji Mamman Shata, was also a recipient of the the university’s honorary doctorate degree. Shata was conferred with D.Litt on 21st January, 1988.
Three former Vice-Chancellors of the university, Prof N S Alexander, Prof Ishaya Audu, and Prof Iya Abubakar made the of ABU honorary degree awards.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed, congratulated Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on the well-deserved honour and celebrated her as a worthy recipient of the Honorary Doctor of Science degree of Ahmadu Bello University.
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Public Affairs Directorate,
Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (NEWS/AAI/PIC/TKU)
Thursday, 5th February, 2026
