The Executive Director of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), Dr. Osahon Okunbo, has been named Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 by Vanguard Newspapers in recognition of his contributions to nation building across multiple sectors.
The award, approved by Vanguard’s Board of Editors, forms part of the prestigious Vanguard Personality of the Year Awards and was formally conferred on April 24, 2026, at the Convention Centre of Eko Hotels and Suites.
According to the organisers, the honour recognises Okunbo’s investments and leadership in hospitality, oil and gas, agriculture, arts, and the built environment, sectors central to Nigeria’s economic growth and development.
Vanguard noted that the award also underscores Okunbo’s role in advancing enterprise and innovation, adding that dignitaries from across the country gathered at the investiture ceremony to celebrate what it described as “excellence demonstrated by a distinguished Nigerian.”
The award was presented to Okunbo by former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba.
Speaking after receiving the honour, Okunbo described the recognition as a “full circle moment,” noting that his late father, Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo, had previously received the same recognition from Vanguard. He attributed his entrepreneurial journey to his father’s influence, adding that the values instilled in him continue to guide his pursuits across business and cultural development.
Also speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Aruwa Capital Management, Adesuwa Rhodes Okunbo, said the honour reflects a strong family tradition of enterprise, with the family proud of Osahon’s efforts to sustain and build on that legacy.
Okunbo, a Nigerian entrepreneur and cultural patron, is the founder of The Osahon Okunbo Foundation, which promotes African arts and creative expression through strategic support for artists and institutions. He also serves on the board of the National Theatre Lagos, now the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, where he contributes to efforts aimed at revitalising the country’s cultural infrastructure.
Other awardees include the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal; Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba; Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River; Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe; and former Governor Jim Nwobodo. Also recognised were the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo; Bishop Hassan Kukah; and Sayyu Dantata, among other notable Nigerians.
