By Muhammad Mamman
Nigerians must demand greater accountability from their state governors to ensure the benefits of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms translate into tangible improvements at the state level, the country’s Minister of Information and National Orientation has said.
Alhaji Mohammed Idris made the call while delivering a convocation lecture at the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna in Niger State, where more than 5,000 students graduated, including 111 with first-class honours.
The minister highlighted that since President Tinubu took office in May 2023, states and local governments have received significantly higher allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), thanks to reforms including fuel subsidy removal, foreign exchange unification, and tax adjustments.
“President Tinubu has carried out various reforms that have changed Nigeria’s political and economic landscape, as attested by international agencies and foreign governments,” Idris said.
He argued that any governor who fails to capitalise on these federal initiatives to plan for sustainable development in their state would be “deliberately denying the citizens of their states the needed growth and progress.”
“To retrace your steps go back to the drawing boards to give your people dividends of democracy,” he urged governors, adding that they should “stop blaming the president” for shortcomings in service delivery.
The remarks come amid growing public frustration over the perceived gap between soaring state revenues – reportedly amounting to trillions of naira in recent years – and limited visible improvements in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and welfare for ordinary citizens.
Critics, including labour unions and civil society groups, have repeatedly accused some state governments of mismanaging funds, with persistent issues such as salary arrears, poor infrastructure, and corruption cited as barriers to progress.
Idris pointed to specific federal programmes as evidence of the “Renewed Hope Agenda” delivering results, including the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which has disbursed more than N174 billion (£82 million) to over 900,000 beneficiaries since its launch in May 2024, with nearly 1.5 million applications received.
“The biggest and most visible opportunities created for young Nigerians in the last two years include low-cost, long-term financing for students of higher institutions through NELFUND,” he said.
“We have incontrovertible proof that the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda is real, functional, impactful, and transformational.”
The minister’s comments also appear to signal an early push towards greater public scrutiny ahead of the 2027 general elections, as the federal government seeks to shift some responsibility for development outcomes to subnational leaders.
Nigeria remains grappling with high inflation, unemployment, and security challenges despite recent macroeconomic gains recognised internationally. Analysts say stronger accountability mechanisms at state level will be crucial if federal reforms are to yield broad-based benefits for the population.
