Tinubu Celebrates Nigerian Scholar Adenle For Winning Global ‘Mini-Nobel’ Peace Prize

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended Nigerian scholar and sustainability expert, Professor Ademola Adenle, for clinching the inaugural World Academy of Sciences – M. S. Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace, describing the recognition as a global honour for Nigeria.

According to Ireporter Online, the President hosted Professor Adenle at the State House, applauding his remarkable contributions to agricultural innovation, biosciences, renewable energy, and public health — fields that have significantly advanced sustainable development, particularly among marginalised communities across Africa.

Professor Adenle received the prestigious award from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 7 during the M. S. Swaminathan Centenary International Conference in New Delhi. The award, regarded internationally as a “mini-Nobel Peace Prize,” celebrates exceptional achievements in food security, sustainable agriculture, and peacebuilding.

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, noted that the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, attended the meeting.

Professor Adenle, who currently serves as Senior Special Adviser on Agricultural Innovation in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, was lauded for his pioneering efforts in tackling climate change, promoting food security, and empowering vulnerable populations.

During the meeting, he announced plans to introduce the Women in Biosciences Initiative, a programme designed to enhance rural agricultural productivity through training, entrepreneurship, and technology. The initiative also aims to reduce malnutrition, combat waterborne diseases, and expand renewable energy adoption — especially solar power — to address energy poverty in underserved regions.

The project, which will be implemented in partnership with the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, is set to extend across Africa and Asia, furthering Swaminathan’s enduring legacy of combining scientific innovation with social progress.

At the New Delhi ceremony, Prime Minister Modi described Professor Adenle as “a beacon of hope” whose work continues to tackle some of the most pressing global development challenges.

The M. S. Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace recognises individuals from developing nations who have made transformative impacts on food systems, sustainability, and peace across the world.