CISLAC’s Rafsanjani Becomes First African To Receive TI Amalia Individual Professional Excellence Award
By Stephanie Odiase
The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Head of Transparency International (TI) Nigeria, Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, has become the first African to receive the Transparency International prestigious Amalia Award for Individual Professional Excellence.
The award is one of the organisation’s highest honours, recognising outstanding leadership, expertise, and commitment to the global fight against corruption.
The award was presented during the Transparency International Movement Awards Ceremony on 1 July 2026, marking the conclusion of the TI Summit 2026, held from 29 June to 1 July, in Berlin Germany.
Named after the late Amalia Kostanyan, former Chair of Transparency International Armenia, the Amalia Award celebrates exceptional contributions by individuals and Chapters across the Transparency International movement. The Professional Excellence category recognises outstanding leadership, innovation, and dedication to advancing transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption efforts.
Rafsanjani was honoured for his sustained leadership in promoting transparency, accountability, democratic governance, and anti-corruption reforms in Nigeria and beyond. Under his leadership, CISLAC has strengthened evidence-based policy advocacy, public accountability, fiscal transparency, electoral integrity, and regional collaboration, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s anti-corruption landscape and the broader Transparency International movement.
Speaking during the presentation, Chair of Transparency International, François Valérian, commended Rafsanjani for his unwavering commitment to the fight against corruption and his outstanding leadership of Transparency International Nigeria.
He noted that under Rafsanjani’s stewardship, TI Nigeria has become a more visible and influential voice within the global Transparency International movement, consistently contributing to international conferences, policy discussions, and collective anti-corruption initiatives.
Valérian said Rafsanjani has strengthened the chapter’s reputation through impactful advocacy, resilience, and principled leadership, describing his efforts to advance transparency and accountability in Nigeria and across Africa as exemplary and worthy of global recognition.
Reacting to the recognition, Rafsanjani described the award as a testament to the collective efforts of the CISLAC team, its partners, and anti-corruption advocates. He reaffirmed his commitment to advancing democratic governance, institutional reforms, and accountability across Nigeria, Africa, and the wider global community.
Rafsanjani said the recognition underscores CISLAC’s growing influence within the global Transparency International movement and reinforces its commitment to promoting good governance, strengthening democratic institutions, and fostering accountability.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has congratulated Rafsanjani on his historic Amalia Award for Individual Professional Excellence by Transparency International.
According to NEITI, Rafsanjani, becomes the first African to receive the prestigious Transparency International Amalia Award for Individual Professional Excellence.
NEITI’s Executive Secretary, Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, described the honour as a proud moment for CISLAC, Nigeria, and Africa’s transparency and accountability community.
Adar said “This recognition is a profound validation of decades of principled advocacy for transparency, accountability, and good governance in Nigeria. NEITI joins the nation and the global community in celebrating this well-deserved, historic achievement”.
He emphasized CISLAC’s role as a steadfast partner in advancing NEITI’s mandate to promote transparency and accountability in the extractive sector. He expressed confidence that this international recognition will further strengthen collaboration between NEITI, CISLAC, Transparency International Nigeria, and other civil society organizations.
“This award underscores the vital role African voices play in shaping the global conversation on transparency and anticorruption. Mr. Rafsanjani’s award celebrates not only his personal commitment but also the resilience of the broader civil society ecosystem driving institutional accountability and strengthening public trust,” Adar stated, while reaffirming NEITI’s unwavering commitment to partnering with civil society allies in the pursuit of transparency, accountability, and good governance of Nigeria’s extractive industries.
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