The Nigerian National Order of Merit Award (NNOM) is an academic award conferred on distinguished academicians and intellectuals who have made outstanding contributions to the academic, growth and development of

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

. The award is often conferred on its recipient by the

Federal Government of Nigeria The federal government of Nigeria is composed of three distinct branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial, whose powers are vested and bestowed upon by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. One of the primary f ...

following a nomination and approval of the Governing Board of the Nigerian National Merit Award. Its recipient is often decorated by the

President of Nigeria The president of Nigeria, officially the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is the head of state and head of government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The president directs the executive branch of the Federal Government an ...

. Recipients of the award have the legal right to use the

postnominal Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters, or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, an academic degree, accreditation ...

title: Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM). It is the highest academic award in Nigeria and since its institution in 1979, the award has so far been conferred on only 70 distinguished academicians.

List of recipients

Chinua Achebe Chinua Achebe (; born Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe; 16 November 1930 – 21 March 2013) was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic who is regarded as a central figure of modern African literature. His first novel ''Things Fall Apart'' ( ...

* Done P. Dabale *

Adiele Afigbo Adiele Eberechukwu Afigbo (22 November 1937 – 9 March 2009) was a Nigerian historian known for the history and historiography of Africa, more particularly Igbo history and the history of Southeastern Nigeria. Themes emphasised include pre-colo ...

Alexander Animalu Alexander Obiefoka Enukora Animalu (born 28 August 1938) is a Nigerian academic, who is Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He holds a BSc (London), M.A. (Cantab.) and PhD (Ibadan), FAS, NNOM, IOM A pioneer of ...

* David Aradeon *

Seth Sunday Ajayi Seth Sunday Ajayi (born 16 May 1943) is a Nigerian scientist, scholar and the first African Professor of Wildlife Ecology. Early life and education Ajayi was born on 16 May 1943 in Mopa, Kogi State. He attended the Sudan Interior Mission Day S ...

J. P. Clark John Pepper Clark-Bekederemo (6 April 1935 – 13 October 2020) was a Nigerian poet and playwright. He popularly published as J. P. Clark and John Pepper Clark. Life Born in Kiagbodo, Nigeria, to an Ijaw people, Ijaw father and Urhobo people, Ur ...

* Lazarus Ekwueme *

Taslim Olawale Elias Taslim Olawale Elias (11 November 1914 – 14 August 1991) was a Nigerian jurist who served as minister of Justice and attorney-general of Nigeria from 1960 to 1966, Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1972 to 1975 and president of the International ...

Etim Moses Essien Essien Etim Moses , NNOM, OFR (31 December 1934 - 12 November 2020) was a Nigerian Professor of Hematology and Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian National Merit Award. Professor Essien began his career in 1970 at the University Co ...

Akpanoluo Ikpong Ikpong Ette Akpanoluo Ikpong Ikpong Ette NNOM (23 September 1929 - 17 September 2018) was a Nigerian Professor of Physics and former secretary and vice-president of the Nigerian Academy of Science. In 1991, he was elected President of the Nigerian Academy ...

* Francis Idachaba *

Ladi Kwali Ladi Kwali or Ladi Dosei Kwali, Order of the Niger, OON NNOM, Order of the British Empire, MBE ( – 12 August 1984) was a Nigerian pottery, potter, Ceramic art, ceramicist and educator. Ladi Kwali was born in the village of Kwali in the Gbari ...

Andrew Jonathan Nok Andrew Jonathan Nok, NNOM (11 February 1962 – 21 November 2017) was a Nigerian Professor of Biochemistry and the Public Affairs Secretary of the Nigerian Academy of Science. In 2010 he was a recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit ...

Chukwuedu Nwokolo Chukwuedu Nathaniel II Nwokolo (19 April 1921 – 18 May 2014) was a Nigerian physician specialist in tropical diseases. He was recognised for discovering and mapping out the area of paragonimiasis lung disease in Eastern Nigeria, with a study ...

Tanure Ojaide Tanure Ojaide (born 1948) is a Nigerian poet and academic. As a writer, he is noted for his unique stylistic vision and for his intense criticism of imperialism, religion, and other issues. He is regarded as a socio-political and an ecocentric po ...

* Isidore Okpewho *

Niyi Osundare Niyi Osundare is a Nigerian poet, dramatist, linguist, and literary critic. Born on 12 March 1947, in Ikere-Ekiti, Nigeria, his poetry is influenced by the oral tradition of his Yoruba culture, which he hybridizes with other poetic traditions o ...

Lateef Akinola Salako Lateef Akinola Salako NNOM, CON (5 July 1935 – 8 December 2017) was a Nigerian academic who was professor emeritus of pharmacology and therapeutics at the University of Ibadan. Early life Lateef Akinola Salako was born on 5 July 1935 in La ...

Mabel Segun Mabel Segun, NNOM (13 February 1930 – 6 March 2025) was a Nigerian poet, playwright and writer of short stories and children's books who was also a teacher, broadcaster, and a sportswoman. Biography Born in Ondo City, Nigeria, she had her se ...

Wole Soyinka Wole Soyinka , (born 13 July 1934) is a Nigerian author, best known as a playwright and poet. He has written three novels, ten collections of short stories, seven poetry collections, twenty five plays and five memoirs. He also wrote two transla ...

Oye Gureje Oyewusi Gureje, NNOM (born in 1952) is a Nigerian psychiatrist at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and Director at the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health, Neurosciences, Drug and Alcohol A ...

Oyewale Tomori Oyewale Tomori (born 3 February 1946) is a Nigerian professor of virology, educational administrator, and former vice chancellor of Redeemer's University. In 2024, he became the chairman of West Africa National Academy of Scientists. Life and ca ...

Bruce Onobrakpeya Bruce Obomeyoma Onobrakpeya (born 30 August 1932) is a Nigerian printmaker, painter and sculptor. He has exhibited at the Tate Modern in London, the National Museum of African Art of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the Mal ...

Tolu Olukayode Odugbemi Tolu Olukayode Odugbemi (born 30 January 1945) is a Nigerian professor of Medical Microbiology, educational administrator and former vice chancellor of the University of Lagos, Nigeria. He was the 9th vice chancellor of the University of Lagos. ...

Olufemi Obafemi Olufemi Obafemi (born 4 April 1950) is a Nigerian poet, playwright, author and Professor of English and Dramatic Literature at the University of Ilorin since October 1990. He is the 76th recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NMOM) ...

Omowunmi Sadik Omowunmi "Wunmi" A. Sadik (born 19 June 1964) is a Nigerian-American professor, chemist, and inventor working at New Jersey Institute of Technology. She has developed microelectrode biosensors for detection of drugs and explosives and is working o ...

* Stella Ugbobuaku

References

External links

Nigerian National Merit Award
official website. Nigerian awards {{Nigeria-stub