The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • The Papiri puzzle

    The Papiri puzzle

    Reports, at the weekend, said 115 more pupils of St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri in Agwara council area of Niger State, who were abducted on 21st November, this year, had regained their freedom. These were in addition to 100 pupils freed in early December. Fifteen teachers who were also kidnapped as well secured their freedom this time.

    Gunmen had attacked the remote community at wee hours on the fateful day, storming the school about 2a.m. on motorbikes and operating for nearly three hours. Reports at the time were that 315 people, comprising 303 pupils and 12 teachers, got abducted. About 50 pupils managed to escape within the first 24 hours and were reunited with their families (security insiders said the 50 children were part of those who fled when the bandits struck and returned home, rather than that they escaped from the abductors’ hold), leaving – so it was reported – 265 persons in captivity.

    On the heels of the attack, government deployed security operatives including police tactical units as well as military ground and air personnel in the area to comb nearby forests for the abductees. National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, leading a Federal Government delegation, visited Kontagora to meet the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, and distraught parents of the abducted pupils. At that meeting, he assured that the abducted pupils were in stable condition and would be returned safely. “God is with them and God is with us. Evil will never win. They are going to come back. I give you that assurance,” he stated during the visit.

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    On November 7th, 100 pupils returned from the abductors’ den, leaving (as it was reported) 153 pupils and 12 teachers still being held captive. Even at that time, there was only report of the schoolchildren being freed, with nothing said about how their release was secured and what happened to the abductors when the children were being freed. This fuelled speculation as to the possibility that the children were released on terms that insulated the abductors from backlash, if not indeed that there was some negotiated reward by way of ransom payment.

    Latest report indicated that 115 schoolchildren and 15 others, to wit abducted teachers, got freed at the weekend in a forest between Agwara and Borgu council areas of Niger State. These were said to be all remaining abductees in captivity, which the Office of the NSA deployed security vehicles and personnel to evacuate. The catch is that the math of the Papiri abductions no longer added up, with the unexplained discounting of the number of abductees to 280 from the 315 earlier cited on repeated occasions.

    There must be transparent reckoning of the Papiri abductees such that all persons affected are accounted for, lest they get crowded out of national conversation. The public also needs to know what has happened to the abductors.  

  • Why corrupt public officials must be prosecuted

    Why corrupt public officials must be prosecuted

    Sir: Nigeria has for decades been bedevilled by the cankerworm of corruption, largely driven by public office holders at both the state and national levels. The consequences are visible everywhere: failing infrastructure, poor public services, rising poverty, and deep public distrust in government. Corruption has not only slowed national development but has also weakened the moral fabric of governance.

    Funds appropriated for education, healthcare, roads, security, and social welfare often end up in private bank accounts, while the intended beneficiaries are left stranded. Even more troubling is the fact that many of these diversions occur with little or no consequence for those responsible. The absence of consistent prosecution has emboldened corrupt officials and reinforced a dangerous culture of impunity.

    Over the years, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have been on the trail of a limited number of these officials, yet with minimal success. While arrests and investigations are occasionally announced, prosecutions are prolonged, or completely abandoned and convictions rare. Meanwhile, the country continues to bleed economically and socially.

    Numerous allegations have been reported against serving public officials over the years, some backed by clear evidence. Conventional media and social media platforms have at various times exposed documents, recordings, and financial trails implicating individuals in serious acts of corruption. Despite the public availability of such evidence, decisive action is often absent.

    More concerning is the tendency of anti-graft agencies to overlook these allegations, particularly when the individuals involved are close to the powers-that-be. Selective enforcement has become a defining weakness in Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight. When political protection overrides justice, the credibility of institutions meant to safeguard public interest is severely undermined.

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    The most disturbing trend is the practice of forcing alleged corrupt officials to resign quietly, after which nothing is heard about their prosecution. This pattern has repeated itself over the years and continues to this day. Resignation has effectively become an escape route, allowing individuals to avoid accountability while retaining the proceeds of alleged crimes.

    Nigeria has witnessed ministers and heads of ministries, departments, and agencies accused of corruption, forgery, and abuse of office stepping down without facing trial. Such outcomes send a wrong message to the public and to other officials still in office that corruption carries little risk as long as one is politically connected.

    If the fight against corruption is to be taken seriously, President Bola Tinubu must match his public declarations with concrete action. He should ensure that anti-graft agencies investigate and prosecute any official found wanting, regardless of status or political ties. It is equally unfortunate that these agencies, along with security institutions, appear to wait for presidential directives before performing their statutory duties.

    The fight against corruption must cut across all political divides and reach everyone involved in looting public resources. The nation must be decisively purged of corrupt public officials if transparency, accountability, and genuine development are to be achieved.

    •Tochukwu Jimo Obi, Obosi Anambra State.

  • Reimagining Dutse as a model hub city

    Reimagining Dutse as a model hub city

    Sir: Dutse is not Kano, and it should not try to be. It does not possess the congestion of a commercial megacity, nor does it sit along the ocean like Lagos. Yet these are not weaknesses; they are in fact Dutse’s greatest strengths. In an era where investors, academics, medical tourists, and professionals increasingly seek calm, order, security, and functionality, Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State, offers a rare and compelling alternative.

    The current peaceful social fabric, illuminated streets, orderly town planning, vast green spaces, and abundant developable land of Dutse, provides the ideal canvas for a purpose-built hub city. The presence of Federal University Dutse, Rasheed Shekoni Federal University Teaching Hospital (RSFUTH), an international airport, a rich cultural heritage, historical architecture, and unique rock formations strengthen the city’s profile.

    These, coupled with its strategic location to the Northwest, Northeast, and North-central zones, Dutse is naturally positioned to serve as a regional centre for conferences, tourism, healthcare, education, and innovation.

    As it stands today, Dutse already has several functional zones that form the backbone of the city. These include the Three-Arm Zone housing the State Secretariat, one of the best judiciary complexes in the country, and the state House of Assembly; the Local Government Chairmen’s Quarters; the Five Emirates Quarters; the House of Assembly Members’ Residential Quarters; Dan Masara and Fatara Residential Areas; the Emirs’ Palaces; and the State Government House. These existing structures provide a solid administrative, institutional, and residential foundation upon which the city can expand in a more deliberate and strategic manner.

    There is a need to move Dutse from passive silent city to a strategic urban city, through deliberate, long-term planning backed by institutional commitments. First, the Jigawa State government should set a vision for to develop Dutse Metropolitan, by resuscitating and strengthening the Dutse Capital Development Authority (DCDA), and formally positioning Dutse as a conference and events city, a regional medical and wellness hub, a centre for education and research, and a serene tourism and recreation destination.

    Second, the government should deliberately designate and gazette strategic development zones across the city. These should include a Conference and Events Zone with international conference centres, mini-conference halls, exhibition spaces, hotels, and landscaped parks; a Sports and Recreation Zone featuring an international stadium, sports academies, indoor games centres, recreational parks, and cinemas; an Islamic and Cultural Zone among others.

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    As a matter of urgency, the state government should reassess and reposition the existing city while pursuing these long-term goals. The Garu Township express road is a commendable intervention, and the Medical Village in Fanisau, as well as the Dan Modi Estate, are important steps in the right direction.

    Dutse’s streets should be beautified with trees and flowers, key institutions renovated, and some areas re-planned for efficiency. The State Library should be upgraded into a modern, state-of-the-art knowledge centre; the sports complex revitalised; and the MDI Centre comprehensively modernised to meet contemporary standards for conferences and professional gatherings.

    It’s unbecoming of a state government house to be surrounded by bushy and undeveloped lands; at least the 500-meter radius of the Government House should be developed as the area should be the best residential zone of the state. Projects such as the Dutse Green Initiative, improved transportation systems, and broader urban renewal efforts should be accelerated, including selective relocation and expansion of overstretched areas.

    The returns of these strategic investments are clear: by developing Dutse into a hub for tourism, conferences, healthcare, and education, it will attract visitors, professionals, and institutions from across Nigeria and beyond. It will stimulate demand for hotels, transport, services, and local businesses, significantly boosting Jigawa State’s internally generated revenue.

    Dutse is ready for bold decisions. With a deliberate strategic planning, visionary leadership, and sustained investment, Dutse can become a model hub city for northern Nigeria and the nation at large by attracting talent, investments, tourists, and institutions while preserving its unique serenity and cultural identity. The opportunity is clear, and the moment to act is now.

    •Shamsu Gujungu,Gujungu, Jigawa State.

  • Defections and political accountability

    Defections and political accountability

    Sir: Political defection, the recurrent and often unpredictable migration of politicians from one party to another, has become one of the most troubling features of Nigeria’s democratic trajectory. Although the constitution permits such movement under specific conditions, the frequency and manner of defections raise serious concerns about the credibility, ideological commitment, and ethical standards of political actors.

    More fundamentally, the phenomenon exposes the weak ideological foundations of Nigeria’s party system and reflects the enduring fragility that characterises the nation’s political environment.

    In practice, most defections are rarely driven by genuine ideological disagreement or principled policy divergence. Instead, they are motivated by personal ambition, the pursuit of material advantage, or political self-preservation. This behaviour highlights the shallow moral foundations of Nigeria’s political culture, erodes public confidence in democratic institutions, and reduces political loyalty to a transactional exercise dictated by convenience rather than conviction.

    The constitutional framework governing defection has compounded this challenge. Although the constitution permits elected officials to defect under circumstances of party division or factionalisation, the provision has been persistently abused. Politicians often invoke it disingenuously to legitimise opportunistic defections, even in the absence of genuine crises.

    The culture of defection carries serious implications for democratic consolidation in Nigeria. It undermines issue-based politics, dilutes ideological clarity, and weakens mechanisms of political accountability. Elections are increasingly reduced to contests of personality, patronage, and short-term calculation, rather than opportunities for policy debate, competing visions of development, or engagement with national challenges. This instability also affects governance, as successive administrations may abandon or reverse the programmes of their predecessors, leading to policy discontinuity, fragmented development, and inefficient use of public resources.

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    Addressing political defection requires far-reaching political, legal, and institutional reforms. Foremost is the need to strengthen internal party democracy and institutional capacity. Parties must move beyond personality-driven structures, invest in transparent candidate selection processes, credible dispute resolution mechanisms, and enforceable codes of conduct. Constitutional loopholes that enable opportunistic defections should be clarified or closed, while judicial interpretation must be consistent, principled, and firmly anchored in democratic accountability.

    Discipline within parties should be enforced not as a tool of repression, but to preserve ideological coherence and organisational integrity. Politics must become a contest of ideas rather than a revolving door of personal ambition.

    In the long run, the future of Nigeria’s democracy hinges on principle over expediency and ideology over opportunism. Only when political actors internalise values of conviction, accountability, and service to the collective good, and when citizens demand the same, can Nigeria nurture a resilient, credible, and stable democratic order. Such transformation is essential not only for effective governance but also for sustainable development and the realisation of the nation’s democratic aspirations.

    •Abdulrashid Sani Gimi, PhD,Kaduna.

  • 2026 budget: Discipline as doctrine, boldness as signal, security as core

    2026 budget: Discipline as doctrine, boldness as signal, security as core

    • By Sunday Dare

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2026 Budget Speech is remarkable, not only for its rhetorical flourish, it is remarkable, for something far more consequential in Nigerian public finance management: authority, realism, and enforcement intent.

    This budget  indicates where Nigeria is coming from, where it is, and—critically—what must now change.

    1. A President Owning the Hard Truths,Powering Forward

    The first strength of the speech lies in what it does not evade. The President openly acknowledges that:

    •budget execution must be stronger,firm

    •revenue assumptions were optimistic,

    •and fiscal reality eventually caught up with projections.

    This candour is rare in budget presentations, which often prefer abstraction over admission. By naming the problem plainly, the President establishes credibility and signals a shift from excuse-making to corrective action.

    The clarification that the additional three months for 2025 budget execution is legal housekeeping, not fiscal indiscipline, further reinforces a leader who understands constitutional boundaries and chooses to explain them, not hide behind them.

    2. The Boldest Line in the Speech: Command, Not Consultation

    The speech reaches its most consequential moment at Paragraph 12:

     “Let me be clear: 2026 will be a year of stronger discipline in budget execution.”

    This is not rhetorical emphasis; it is executive instruction. Naming the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, the Accountant-General, and the Director-General of the Budget Office is deliberate. It does three things at once:

    •fixes responsibility,

    • removes ambiguity,

    •and collapses bureaucratic distance.

    This is presidential authority exercised without apology. It sends a clear signal that 2026 is not a negotiating year for fiscal laxity.

    3. From Reform Rhetoric to Enforcement Architecture

    The speech’s boldness deepens in its treatment of Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs). The language shifts from encouragement to performance compulsion:

    •assigned revenue targets

    •digitised end-to-end collections

    * interoperable payment rails

    * eeal-time dashboards,

    * performance scorecards tied to evaluations.

    This is not merely reform language; it is institutional redesign. The President is explicit that underperformance will no longer be masked by opacity or manual processes. The subtext is unmistakable: systems will now remember who performed and who did not.

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    4. Security Doctrine: No Moral Grey Zones

    On national security, the speech abandons euphemism entirely. The declaration that any armed group operating outside state authority will be regarded as terrorists is a doctrinal reset. It removes political, ethnic, or semantic cover from violent non-state actors.

    This is bold because it narrows discretion and widens accountability. It also signals to security agencies that ambiguity will no longer be an operational excuse.

    5. Fiscal Numbers as Political Statement

    The budget aggregates are presented not as defensive explanations, but as choices:

    •a conservative oil benchmark

    •realistic production assumptions

    •a deficit framed within sustainability, not denial.

    The repeated insistence that “these numbers are not mere accounting lines” reinforces the President’s framing of the budget as an instrument of national priority, not legislative ritual.

    6. A Quiet but Firm Philosophy Shift

    Perhaps the most important feature of the peesentation is its philosophical undertone:

    Nigeria is moving from expansion without discipline to consolidation with enforcement.

    The closing line captures it succinctly:

     “The most significant budget is not the one we announce. It is the one we deliver.”

    That sentence alone separates this speech from many of its predecessors.

    Why This Budget Matters

    This budget speech is bold not because it promises miracles, but because it sets consequences. It does not sell optimism cheaply; it conditions optimism on discipline, systems, and performance.

    In tone, structure, and substance, it signals a presidency that is no longer merely reform-minded, but execution-driven. If followed through, it marks a transition point: from reform as intent to reform as enforcement.

    In that sense, this budget is less a fiscal document and more a governance marker—and its boldness lies precisely there.

  • Uba Sani: Redefining governance through innovation

    Uba Sani: Redefining governance through innovation

    Sir: Kaduna State has steadily emerged from a period characterised by insecurity, socio-political dislocation, and weakened economic confidence. Once widely perceived as unstable, marginalised, and commercially constrained, the state is now reasserting itself as a symbol of order, credible governance, and renewed investment appeal. This transformation is neither accidental nor superficial. It is the outcome of deliberate leadership, disciplined administration, and a clearly articulated development pathway under the stewardship of Senator Uba Sani, Governor of Kaduna State.

    His strategic direction is redefining Kaduna’s fortunes and strengthening its relevance within Nigeria’s subnational economy and the wider international investment space.

    In just over two and a half years, Governor Sani has presided over a calm yet deeply transformative renewal. Rejecting populist theatrics, his administration has consistently prioritised reconciliation over spectacle, institutional coherence over improvised responses, and measurable outcomes over fleeting applause. This governance philosophy has restored public confidence, revived investor interest, and reactivated economic and social life across communities previously immobilised by fear. Kaduna’s recovery exemplifies leadership grounded in substance and guided by long-term vision rather than short-term political advantage.

    International validation of this progress became evident on September 10, when the United Kingdom government upgraded Kaduna from Red Level Four to Amber Level Three on its travel advisory scale. Announced alongside a Mutual Accountability Framework, this reclassification signalled that the state had crossed a decisive threshold in stability and governance credibility. For investors and development partners alike, the implication was unmistakable. Kaduna is increasingly secure, predictable, and open for business.

    With stability largely consolidated, the administration has shifted focus towards converting peace into broad-based prosperity. Agribusiness, particularly poultry production, has been identified as a strategic driver of inclusive growth, employment creation, and food security. This ambition was reinforced when Governor Uba Sani led a delegation to Beijing for high-level engagements with the China Communications Construction Company, CCCC. Kaduna became the first Nigerian subnational government to be formally received at the company’s headquarters, reflecting rising international confidence in the state’s development agenda.

    Visits to large-scale poultry and halal meat processing complexes, some producing several million units daily, provided valuable insights into integrated value chains encompassing production, processing, packaging, and distribution. These lessons now inform Kaduna’s flagship $200 million poultry initiative, scheduled for implementation in early 2026.

    Designed as a fully integrated value chain project, it is projected to empower more than 350,000 youths and women, expand domestic protein supply, and generate sustainable employment. The initiative represents a decisive shift from subsistence farming to commercially competitive, export-ready agribusiness aligned with global standards.

    Through the Roads Development Initiative, more than 1,300 kilometres of roads are currently under construction, reconnecting rural communities to urban markets and strengthening intra-state and regional integration. Urban transport reforms, including the Kaduna Bus Rapid Transit system and modern transport terminals, reflect a coherent mobility strategy designed to support inclusive and sustainable economic expansion.

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    Beyond transport, the administration has revitalised the rural economy. Over 500,000 hectares of previously abandoned farmland have been restored, displaced farmers resettled, and agricultural investment significantly expanded. Flagship initiatives such as the $510 million Special Agro Industrial Processing Zone position Kaduna as a leading agro-industrial hub in northern Nigeria. Parallel investments in human capital, spanning education, teacher training, reduced tertiary fees, upgraded health facilities, and vocational programmes, have empowered tens of thousands of young people and reinforced a people-centred development model.

    On 16 December 16, the governor hosted the leadership of the National Board for Technology Incubation, NBTI, alongside Malam Al Amin Muhammed Idris, winner of the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2025. The engagement highlighted the administration’s embrace of technology and data-driven solutions in governance and service delivery.

    Underlying these achievements is a governance culture anchored in transparency, accountability, and evidence-based policymaking. Compliance with Open Government Partnership standards, prudent debt management, and participatory budgeting, including the allocation of N100 million to each ward for community-selected projects, has strengthened democratic ownership and institutional legitimacy. Collectively, these measures articulate a coherent development philosophy, with peace as the foundation, people as the focus, and progress driven by strategic partnerships.

    Under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani, Kaduna State is not merely evolving. It is being fundamentally redefined. Its experience demonstrates how principled leadership, fiscal responsibility, and strategic investment in agribusiness and innovation can reposition a subnational economy as stable, competitive, and exemplary within Nigeria’s federal landscape.

    •Abdulrashid Sani Gimi, PhD, Kaduna.

  • Nigeria’s health insurance needs an overhaul

    Nigeria’s health insurance needs an overhaul

    Sir: Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) was established with a clear mandate to drive the country toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030. With a stated vision of becoming a leading agency committed to achieving financial access to quality healthcare for all Nigerians, the scheme was designed to remove cost barriers and protect citizens from catastrophic health spending. Yet, nearly two decades after its conception in different forms, that vision appears increasingly distant from reality.

    For many Nigerians enrolled under the NHIA, the reality of care is marked by frustration, neglect, and systemic inefficiency. Across the country, patients’ experiences suggest a scheme that exists more on paper than in practice. While access to healthcare is meant to be guaranteed, the lived experiences of insured patients tell a different story—one that raises serious questions about the credibility and effectiveness of the system.

    The situation is particularly troubling in many private hospitals, where NHIA patients are often treated as second-class citizens. Reports abound of healthcare providers paying little or no attention to patients simply because they are enrolled under the insurance scheme. Instead of benefiting from the protections promised by the NHIA, patients are frequently subjected to long delays, limited services, and outright neglect.

    A striking example can be found in a popular hospital located in Garki, Abuja, where a separate pharmacy exists solely for NHIA patients. This pharmacy hardly boasts of any essential drugs or medicines. Patients are routinely asked to source their prescribed medications from outside the hospital, defeating the very purpose of insured care and placing additional financial and emotional burdens on already vulnerable individuals.

    Even more distressing is the harrowing process of status confirmation by Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs). NHIA patients are often made to wait for hours, and in some cases days, before approval codes are issued. During this time, treatment is delayed, regardless of the severity of the patient’s condition. In a healthcare system where time can mean the difference between life and death, such delays are indefensible.

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    Tragically, there have been cases where patients with emergency conditions either died or suffered worsening health outcomes while awaiting HMO approvals. Rather than providing urgent care and resolving administrative issues afterward, many facilities choose to delay treatment entirely. This approach reflects a dangerous prioritisation of bureaucracy over human life.

    In addition, several hospitals routinely refer patients elsewhere solely because they are under the NHIA scheme. These referrals are not based on lack of capacity or expertise but on an unwillingness to engage with NHIA processes. As a result, many patients have lost faith in the system and now choose to present themselves as direct, self-paying patients in order to receive prompt and comprehensive care.

    These poor practices, entrenched over the years, have significantly undermined NHIA services in both public and private hospitals. This is despite the huge sums of money paid by government as healthcare subsidies under the scheme. The persistent gaps between funding, service delivery, and patient outcomes have left the NHIA struggling with a serious credibility crisis.

    The federal and state governments must act decisively. There is an urgent need for strict monitoring and regulation of all healthcare providers participating in the NHIA scheme to ensure compliance and accountability. HMOs must also be made more accessible, with seamless systems that eliminate prolonged waiting times for status confirmations. Universal Health Coverage cannot be achieved through promises alone. The time to act is now.

    •Tochukwu Jimo Obi, Obosi Anambra State.

  • On the Dangote/ NMDPRA kerfuffle

    On the Dangote/ NMDPRA kerfuffle

     Sir: The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 does not prohibit the importation of petroleum products into Nigeria. There is no outright ban; rather, the Act supports a deregulated market with regulatory oversight governing imports.

    Aliko Dangote’s grievance with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) under its former helmsman, Farouk Ahmed centres on the continued issuance of import licences to petroleum marketers. And then the failure to impose heavy levies and taxes on imported petroleum products. 

    According to the NMDPRA, Nigeria’s petrol imports increased to an average of 52.1 million litres per day in November. The NMDPRA further disclosed that the NNPC imported the bulk of Nigeria’s petrol requirements in November 2025, with total imports by all marketers amounting to 1.563 billion litres during the month.

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    In the first round of this battle, Dangote appears to have “won,” as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has replaced Farouk Ahmed of the NMDPRA and Gbenga Komolafe of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). They have been succeeded by Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive Officer of the NUPRC and Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, subject to senate’s approval.

    My take is that this battle will continue. The new chief executives cannot ban the importation of petroleum products by the NNPC or other marketers outright because there is no law to back them. However, they are likely to engage Dangote cautiously to avoid the fate that befell Farouk Ahmed and Gbenga Komolafe. In my view, this is not a good thing for a regulatory of an industry.

    If Dangote truly seeks full market patronage, pricing is key. His products must match or beat the cost of imported petroleum products. Marketers operate on a simple philosophy: buy good, sell good. If Dangote Refinery’s prices and processes are competitive or superior to imported products, no marketer would endure the challenges of sourcing foreign exchange, freight costs, and time delays when a cheaper and readily available alternative exists at their doorstep.

    •Zayyad I. Muhammad,Abuja.

  • Enugu’s N1.62tr 2026 Budget: Consolidating the march to $30b economy

    Enugu’s N1.62tr 2026 Budget: Consolidating the march to $30b economy

    By Collins Ogbu

    When the Enugu State Government unveiled its 2026 Appropriation Bill, the headline figure, N1.62 trillion, immediately commanded attention. Yet, beyond the size of the budget lies a deeper story: one of policy consistency, disciplined execution, and a long-term economic vision anchored on transforming Enugu from a largely a civil service and consumption-driven subnational economy into a competitive production, investment, tourism, and living destination. The 2026 budget does not emerge in isolation. It is deliberately built on the relative successes, lessons, and momentum of the 2025 fiscal year, scaling up reforms and investments that have already begun to reshape the state’s economic trajectory.

    With a 66.5 percent increase over the 2025 budget, the 2026 fiscal plan represents a conscious acceleration rather than a fiscal gamble. It reflects confidence derived from improved revenue performance, stronger institutional capacity, and early wins across infrastructure, education, healthcare, security, and economic reforms. More importantly, it aligns squarely with the administration’s overarching ambition: to grow Enugu’s economy from an estimated $4.4 billion as of 2023 to a $30 billion economy within the eight-year lifespan of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s administration.

    At the core of the 2026 budget is a development-first philosophy. Of the N1.62 trillion proposed, a remarkable N1.3 trillion, representing 80 percent, is allocated to capital expenditure, while recurrent expenditure is held at N321 billion, or just 20 percent. In 2025, ratio was even 86 percent capital to 14 percent recurrent. This structure is unusual by Nigerian standards, where recurrent spending often crowds out investment in infrastructure and key economic enablers. In Enugu’s case, however, the reverse is true. The budget is designed to build assets, unlock productivity, and create the enabling environment for private sector-led growth.

    This capital-heavy approach in 2026 is not theoretical. It builds directly on the 2025 budget, which prioritised foundational infrastructure, institutional reforms, and sectoral pilots. Roads commenced in 2025 are being extended and completed in 2026. Revenue reforms initiated last year are now yielding stronger internally generated revenue (IGR) projections. Social sector investments in education and healthcare that began as upgrades in 2025 are being scaled into system-wide transformations in 2026. In essence, the 2025 budget laid the groundwork; the 2026 budget is about visible impact at scale.

    Revenue projections for 2026 reflect this growing confidence. Total revenue is projected at N1.62 trillion, with IGR contributing N870 billion, or 53.6 percent of the total. This represents a dramatic 221.6 percent increase over 2024 performance and builds on the improved collections recorded in 2025. The surge in IGR is a product of deliberate reforms: digitisation of land administration, automation of business registration, enhanced tax intelligence, and the elimination of leakages that historically undermined state finances. These reforms are gradually changing the fiscal culture of the state, shifting Enugu away from overdependence on federal allocations.

    FAAC receipts are estimated at N387 billion, providing a stable but no longer dominant revenue stream. Capital receipts of N329 billion, accounting for 20.3 percent of revenue, are expected largely from asset sales and leases, particularly within the New Enugu Smart City. This reflects a shift toward asset optimisation rather than asset accumulation, ensuring that public assets actively contribute to economic growth and fiscal sustainability.

    On the expenditure side, personnel costs are pegged at N149.995 billion, representing 9.3 percent of the total budget, while overhead costs stand at N120.36 billion, or 7.5 percent. Together, recurrent expenditure totals N321.305 billion. This disciplined approach mirrors the 2025 framework, where cost containment created fiscal space for investment. The message is consistent: governance efficiency is a prerequisite for development ambition.

    Sectoral allocations in the 2026 budget further reveal the administration’s priorities and long-term thinking. The economic sector takes the largest share: N825.95 billion, or 51 percent of the budget. This allocation reflects a deliberate push to reposition Enugu as a productive economy rather than a civil service enclave.

    Agriculture remains central to this strategy. Massive investments are channelled toward the completion of 260 farm estates across the state. These estates are designed not merely as farming clusters, but as integrated agro-industrial hubs with access roads, power, water, storage, and processing facilities. By scaling agricultural production and value addition, the state aims to boost food security, generate jobs, and expand export potential.

    Transport infrastructure is another major pillar of the economic sector. In 2026, N1.2 billion is allocated for the construction of modern transport terminals in strategic locations such as Emene, Awgu, and Obollo Afor. These terminals are expected to improve logistics, reduce congestion, and support commerce. Additionally, the procurement of 2,000 city taxis will modernise urban transportation, enhance mobility, and create employment opportunities. Enugu Air, one of the state’s most ambitious projects, is set for significant expansion, with plans to grow its fleet to 20 aircraft, this adding additional 14 aircraft in 2026. This is not an isolated decision. Improved air connectivity is central to positioning Enugu as a hub for business travel, tourism, and investment.

    Industrial development continues to receive attention, building on revival efforts initiated in 2025. Strategic assets such as Nigergas, Sunrise Flour Mill, United Enugu Palm Products Limited are being revitalised to stimulate manufacturing, create jobs, and deepen the state’s industrial base. These investments are critical to increasing the state’s gross domestic product and attracting complementary private sector investments.

    The social sector commands N644.73 billion, representing 40.1 percent of the total budget. Education alone receives 32.27 percent of the N1.62 trillion total expenditure, making it the single largest sectoral allocation for the third consecutive year at over 30 percent of the budget. This sustained emphasis reflects the administration’s conviction that human capital development is the most reliable driver of long-term economic growth. Building on reforms initiated in 2025, the 2026 budget expands investments in Smart Secondary Schools, digital learning infrastructure, teacher training, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The objective is clear: to produce a workforce equipped with relevant skills for a modern, technology-driven economy.

    Healthcare is allocated N161.8 billion, accounting for 10 percent of the budget. The focus is on consolidating gains from 2025 while scaling up service delivery. The completion of 260 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres will significantly expand access to quality primary care, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Secondary healthcare facilities will be upgraded, while construction continues on the 300-bed Enugu International Hospital. This flagship project is expected to reduce medical tourism, attract regional patients, and position Enugu as a healthcare destination in the South-East and beyond.

    Housing also features prominently, with N243.6 billion allocated, about 15 percent of the budget. The state plans to deliver 15,000 mass housing units in the first phase, addressing housing deficits while stimulating the construction sector. The New Enugu Smart City remains a central component of this strategy, combining residential, commercial, and industrial zones in a planned urban environment. Beyond improving quality of life, the Smart City is projected to generate significant revenue through leases, sales, and increased economic activity.

    Infrastructure and transport projects collectively account for 31.6 percent of the budget. Road infrastructure alone receives N120.7 billion, covering critical corridors such as the 40-kilometre Owo–Ubahu–Amankanu–Neke–Ikem Dual Carriageway, the Abakpa Nike–Ugwogo Nike–Ekwegbe–Opi–Nsukka Road, and the 21.65-kilometre Enugu–Abakaliki Expressway. These projects, many of which commenced or were designed in 2025, are essential for improving connectivity, reducing logistics costs, and integrating rural economies with urban markets.

    Security, though allocated a modest 2.8 percent, remains strategically important. An N11 billion provision will fund the second phase of the state’s security surveillance system, expanding coverage and enhancing response capacity. Safety and stability are foundational to attracting investors, tourists, and residents, and the administration recognises that economic growth cannot thrive in an insecure environment.

    The 2026 budget also reflects a clear understanding of risks and challenges.

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    Execution capacity will be tested by the sheer scale of projects. To address this, the state plans to strengthen oversight mechanisms, expand technical manpower, and improve project management systems. External factors such as inflation, exchange rate volatility, and weather-related disruptions may affect costs and timelines, but the administration remains confident that these risks can be managed without undermining core objectives.

    Crucially, the budget is framed within a long-term economic vision. The ambition to grow Enugu’s economy from approximately $4 billion to $30 billion within eight years is bold, but not unrealistic. The pathway lies in consistent capital investment, human capital development, institutional reforms, and private sector mobilisation.

    By improving infrastructure, strengthening education and healthcare, modernising agriculture, and enhancing security and connectivity, Enugu is positioning itself as a prime destination for business, investment, tourism, and living.

    The successes recorded under the 2025 budget: improved revenue performance, ongoing infrastructure projects, strengthened institutions, and renewed investor confidence, provide a strong foundation for the 2026 scale-up. Each kilometre of road completed, each school upgraded, each healthcare centre delivered, and each reform implemented contributes incrementally to a more competitive economy.

    In simple terms, the 2026 Enugu State Budget marks a decisive transition. It is the bridge between preparation and performance, between aspiration and achievement. By sustaining fiscal discipline while dramatically expanding capital investment, the government is laying the groundwork for transformative growth. If effectively implemented, the budget will not only deliver tangible improvements in the lives of citizens in 2026, but also set Enugu firmly on the path toward becoming one of Nigeria’s most dynamic subnational economies—an investment destination of choice, a hub for tourism and innovation, and a place where people can live, work, and thrive.

    Ultimately, N1.62 trillion is not just a figure. It is a statement of confidence in Enugu’s future, and a roadmap to getting there. Indeed, Tomorrow is Here for Ndi Enugu.

    •Dr. Ogbu is Senior Special Assistant (Strategic Communications) to Enugu State Governor

  • Conflicting codes on varsities

    Conflicting codes on varsities

    Is there a proliferation of under-utilised tertiary institutions in Nigeria warranting a freeze on establishment of new ones? That is one question government needs to address regarding its policy on setting up of new universities, which seems inconsistent.

    The National Universities Commission (NUC), last weekend, said it had lifted an existing ban on establishment or operation of foreign universities in Nigeria. Its Executive Secretary, Professor Abdulahi Yusufu Ribadu, said at the 10th Convocation ceremony of Gregory University, Uturu (GUU), Abia State, that the decision was taken to allow foreign direct investment in the education sector. It is also to strengthen and make the Nigerian university system more globally competitive, he added.

    Represented by Offor Chukwuemeka, the NUC boss said the commission had initiated sweeping reforms that would make products of Nigerian universities global hotcakes. He explained that partnership with foreign institutions is envisaged to take place under six competitive modes namely “franchise, branch campus, twinning/articulation, open and distance learning (ODL), acquisition, and teaching institutions.” NUC, according to him, has introduced a governance code for private universities to standardise operations and embarked on curriculum re-engineering, shifting from Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) to Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS).

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    This latest policy statement was against the backdrop of a recent decision by government to impose a seven-year freeze on establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. Sometime in August, a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu took the decision following a presentation by Education Minister Dr. Tunji Maruf Alausa.

    Addressing State House correspondents on the policy, Alausa cited proliferation of under-utilised institutions, overstretched resources and a drop in academic quality as reasons for pulling the brakes on new institutions. He argued that the challenge with Nigeria’s tertiary education system was no longer access but inefficient duplication, poor infrastructure, inadequate staffing and dwindling enrolment in many existing institutions. “Several federal universities operate far below capacity, with some having fewer than 2,000 students. In one northern university, there are 1,200 staff serving fewer than 800 students. This is a waste of government resources,” the minister said. He explained that the freeze was to enable government to channel resources into upgrading existing facilities, hiring qualified staff and expanding the carrying capacity of existing institutions.

    The obvious difference in the latest policy is that universities to be established will be foreign-funded, not government bankrolled. Still, those universities will draw on existing infrastructural capacity in this country, the same student and manpower potential and the likelihood of inefficient duplication. Actually, many foreign universities – excepting the big names – are notorious for spurious standards. It is not clear how the new policy announced by NUC has addressed these concerns.