Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has been honoured as the 2026 “Man of the Year” by the African Cultural Festival (ACF) in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States.
Alausa, according to Ikharo Attah, his Special Adviser (Media and Communications) in a Statement, was also presented with the Key to the City of Harrisburg in recognition of his contributions to education and human capital development.
The honours were conferred on the minister during the grand finale of the African Cultural Festival, held under the theme, “The Great Reunion: Culture, Education, and Collaboration.”
Speaking at the event, Alausa called for stronger partnerships between Nigeria and its diaspora communities to accelerate reforms in education, research, innovation, technology transfer and human capital development.
The minister said Nigeria’s education transformation agenda covered the entire education value chain, from basic and secondary education to technical, vocational and tertiary education.
He highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, expansion of technical and vocational training, curriculum modernisation, medical education and teacher development, as well as investments in laboratories, simulation centres, hostels and other infrastructure.
Alausa also urged Nigerian professionals, academics and researchers in the diaspora to participate actively in the BRIDGE — Bridging Research, Innovation, Development and Global Expertise — programme.
According to him, diaspora professionals can contribute to Nigeria’s development through mentorship, research collaboration, specialised lectures, curriculum development, institutional partnerships and technology transfer.
He stressed that Nigerians in the diaspora do not need to relocate permanently to contribute to national development, noting that both physical and virtual engagement could make a significant impact.
Alausa dedicated the award to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, education officials and stakeholders, as well as Nigerian children and young people at the centre of the Federal Government’s education reform agenda.
Also speaking, Wole Adeniyi, Chief Executive Officer of DuduPlugs, said the engagement with the minister provided an opportunity to deepen cultural diplomacy and educational collaboration between Nigeria and the United States.
Adeniyi said DuduPlugs would build on the engagement by developing a legacy programme focused on technology transfer, modern innovation and robotics for Nigerians.
He said the initiative would involve collaboration with stakeholders and experts, including Blake Walker, Leila Steinberg, Femi Ojetunde, Dana Sims and Jody David Armour.
The founder of DuduPlugs, Leila Steinberg, expressed appreciation to the minister for engaging with the team, saying the organisation was committed to helping young Africans develop and benefit from their talents, culture, ideas and intellectual property.
The minister said the recognition underscored the importance of reconnecting Nigeria and its diaspora through education, culture, innovation and purposeful collaboration.
He reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Education’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities, strengthening skills and improving the quality and relevance of education to enable Nigerian youths to compete in the global economy.
