Dr. Sanusi Mohammed Ohiare (Akiliwo Ejeh Olamaboro), the Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund/Board Member of the Rural Electrification Agency, (REA), a federal government’s energy based institution has been honoured with Excellence in Public Service Award (PSA) by the Board and Management of Businessday Newspapers in Abuja.
Sanusi was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari 5 years ago to serve as the pioneer Executive Director of the fund. Having distinguished himself and performed creditably well during the first five years, President Buhari approved his reappointment for a second and final term of five years in January 2022.
He was also recently named as the Chair of the Advisory Board for a research project on mini-grids in Africa, titled Sustainability, Inclusiveness and Governance of Mini-grids in Africa (SIGMA) currently running with UK Research and Innovation Funding through their Global Challenge Research Fund.
The Businessday Excellence in Public Service Awards, is an annual recognition event that celebrates functionaries occupying strategic positions in the federal administration, who in the performance of their responsibilities, embody the best values of responsible policy formulation, operational delivery excellence and broad stakeholder.
According to Dr. Ogho Okiti, Managing Director of Businessday Media Limited, publishers of Businessday Newspapers, the organization has “sustained this leadership thought initiative and commitment for the sole aim of developing Nigeria, as the voice of business in West Africa@.
He said Dr Sanusi was honoured for distinguishing himself by promoting good governance and development in all the organizations he had worked and in REA through his sterling leadership capacities. Sanusi was bestowed with the “Public Service stellar performance” award
Other recipients of the award include, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Hon. Minister of Interior, Brigadier –General Buba Marwa (rtd), Chairman/CEO, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Dr George Muoghalu, MD/CEO, National Inland Water Ways Authority (NIWA), Alhaji Tijanni Idris Umar permanent secretary, State House, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, Prof Mohammed Sani Haruna, Chairman/ CEO, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) amongst others
Born 6th March 1985, Sanusi holds a PhD in Rural Energy Development from the prestigious Institute for Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD), De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom; a Master of Science degree in Energy Studies, with Specialization in Energy Finance from the renowned Centre for Energy, Petroleum, Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP), University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom, and a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Jos, Nigeria.
He had previously worked with the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET), FCTA Abuja and other private companies in various capacities.
He has published several peer-reviewed articles and a textbook chapter on rural electrification with bias to planning, technology options and financing in Nigeria, and has been instrumental to various government policies, programmes and regulations concerning renewable energy and rural electrification in Nigeria.
Dr. Sanusi is a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow, the Youth Leader of the Year (2019/2020) award by African Power, Energy and Water Industry, Trustee at the Sanusi Ohiare Foundation and Great Vibes Basketball Foundation, and a member of several professional associations, including the International Association of Energy Economics (IAEE), Nigerian Association of Energy Economics (NAEE), Lagos Oil Club and Society for Petroleum Engineers (SPE), and the Energy Institute, UK.
Dr Sanusi is a community mobilizer per excellence, who is fully committed to the Nigerian project, and has been actively involved in building relationships and mutual understanding between the different groups in the country.
This has earned him many awards within and outside of Kogi State, including an award of excellence for community service at his local government, as well as the Akiliwo Ejeh (Strength of the King), Ejeh Olamaboro Kingdom, Kogi State, Oshetehueyi of Ebira Land, Mene-Eedee 1 of Barako Community, Rivers State, Asema of Upopo Uvete, Adavi Eba, Kogi State, Dan-Amar Igu of Koton-Karfe a chieftaincy title in Kogi State. Dr Sanusi is also a committed and loyal APC member, and a believer in the ability of the youth to move Nigeria to greater heights.