Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda
National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC)
Professor Nentawe Yilwatda brings an unusual combination of engineering, academia, technology, electoral administration and political leadership to Nigeria’s political space. A digital systems engineer and academic, he spent more than two decades in university administration and helped build institutional ICT capacity before entering public service.
As a Resident Electoral Commissioner, he developed experience at the intersection of technology, governance and electoral inclusion. He later served as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction before becoming National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in 2025.
His leadership of the APC has focused on strengthening internal cohesion, rebuilding party structures and consolidating a nationwide political organisation. His technology background also continues to shape his public advocacy, particularly around the role of engineering, innovation and digital systems in national development.
Professor Yilwatda’s career is therefore distinguished not simply by political office but by the movement of a technology professional into public leadership and the application of organisational and digital thinking to governance and political institution-building.
The Daily Times of Nigeria honours Professor Nentawe Yilwatda as Politician of the Year for combining technical expertise, public service and political leadership in the pursuit of stronger institutions and a more cohesive national political platform.