The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has nominated the Managing Director/CEO of JOKATU Property Development Abuja, Ambassador John Gamasaura KATURA for the NANS Educational and Equity Champion of the year Award.

The prestigious award is reserved for non-student individuals whose life and work have directly advanced access, equity, and quality in Nigerian education.

A statement by Lamido Abdullahi and Nanchag Timloh, Chairman and Secretary of the Central Planning Committee indicated that the award will be conferred on Amb. Katura at the NANS Climate Summit 2026 - Nigeria’s largest
convergence of student leaders.

The summit, themed: Unifying Campus Voices Across Nigeria to Contribute to NDCs Processes, will take place on Saturday, 24th October, 2026, at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja.

The event features six live Zonal Hubs and will host 1,500 delegates from 100 tertiary institutions, alongside diplomats and climate stakeholders 

The organizers explained that the summit was built on Zonal consultations from Sokoto to Bayelsa, highlighting how desertification in the North-West and North -East (Sokoto, Yobe, Borno), flooding in the North-Central (Kogi, Benue, Plateau), and oil pollution & waste in the South-South and South-West (Bayelsa, Rivers, Lagos) are all pushing students out of school. 

Consequently, NANS stated that  recognizing Ambassador Katura as an Educational Equity Champion connects directly to this struggle, since, according to the association, climate justice is educational justice

The statement further read in part: "The leadership of NANS, following a thorough search and recommendation from students
across 6 geopolitical zones, has been following with keen interest your outstanding philanthropic interventions in the education sector.

"Your commitment to breaking barriers to education, supporting indigent students, funding
scholarships,and empowering young people with learning tools has distinguished you as a true
friend of Nigerian students.

"In a time when educational inequality remains a major challenge, you have chosen to be part of the solution".

Ambassador John Gamasaura Katura is also the Patron, Plateau Youth Council, Plateau North Senatorial District; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Anaguta Youth Development and Cultural Association Peace Ambassador, Operation Enduring Peace of the Nigerian Armed Forces