Bagudu: Tinubu has been faithful to the North, fair to all

GOING by the quantum leap in revenue and massive debt reduction of the states, the North has made more significant economic progress under President Bola Tinubu, according to the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu.

Bagudu spoke on Wednesday in Kaduna during a presentation to the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, which organised a two-day interactive session on Government-Citizen Engagement with the theme, ‘Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizen Engagement for National Unity.’

The engagement, which commenced on Tuesday, was attended by over 60 Northern federal political appointees, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who led the delegation, ministers and heads of some ministries, departments and agencies; northern state governors, and thought leaders in the region, particularly the Arewa Consultative Forum.

The Foundation’s engagement was to evaluate Tinubu’s election promises to its members, attracting key northern ministers, including Bagudu, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris; the Minister of Defence, Mr Mohammed Badaru; and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, as well as the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.

He stated that the president’s bold economic reforms had increased revenue for the states, even as their debts had fallen, freeing up more resources for social and infrastructural development.

Bagudu stated that this situation had greatly benefited the 19 northern states, whose federally allocated revenue had increased significantly since Tinubu took office on 29 May 2023.

Bagudu explained that Tinubu’s reforms led to significant revenue growth for subnational governments, pointing out that between May 2023 and June 2025, total net statutory revenue and VAT allocation to states and local governments (excluding EMT levy, FX gains, and augmentations) more than doubled, rising from N458.81 billion to N991.81 billion.

He stated that this reflects an increase of N533 billion or 116.17% across the federation.

According to the minister responsible for budgeting and economic planning, this significant increase in allocation was mainly due to the Federal Government’s bold reforms, including the removal of the fuel subsidy.

He stated that, although the reforms caused some short-term pains, the fiscal space created allowed for direct transfers of more oil revenues to the Federation Account, thereby increasing statutory allocations to subnational governments.

He said, “By ending the fuel subsidy, President Tinubu made a hard but necessary call—liberating trillions of naira to expand federal allocations by over 340 percent. States now have the means to invest in their future.”

Bagudu stated that while every state in the federation recorded significant increases in monthly allocations, the northern states received a substantial raise.

He cited Gombe State, which he stated had the sharpest rise, from N6.69 billion in May 2023 to N24.91 billion in 2025, amounting to a 272.35% increase. He also referenced Kaduna State, whose allocation increased from N11.94 billion to N42.01 billion, a rise of N30.07 billion, a 251.84 percent leap.

According to him, a regional breakdown of the benefits to the North showed that the North-Central’s share of revenue increased by 145 percent, the North-East by 149 percent, and the North-West by 143 percent.

“These show how removing subsidies and enhancing revenue-sharing mechanisms have directly benefited state governments, enabling them to fund their development priorities,” the minister stated.

Bagudu informed the audience that the fiscal position of subnational governments had also improved due to a significant reduction in domestic debt, made possible by the availability of additional funds from the Federation Account.

funds from the Federation Account.

He explained that the debt portfolio of the 36 states and Abuja was reduced by 33.4 percent from N5.8 trillion to N3.8 trillion under the president’s deft financial engineering.

Isolating the North’s share of this, the minister noted that the region’s 19 states experienced a 42.06 percent reduction, from N1.98 trillion to N1.14 trillion.

Bagudu told his audience, “These results demonstrate the tangible benefits of macro-fiscal reforms. The Renewed Hope Agenda is delivering real value to citizens through improved subnational fiscal capacity.

“The Tinubu administration at the centre remains committed to fiscal transparency, equitable distribution, and continued collaboration with states and LGAs.”

He emphasised that the president’s administration had demonstrated a comprehensive and strategic approach to addressing the economic, social, and governance challenges in northern Nigeria.

“By implementing bold reforms, investing in critical infrastructure, empowering local governments, and prioritising security and social welfare, the administration is working to create an environment conducive to sustainable development and improved quality of life for the people of the region,” he said.

Bagudu buttressed his submission by citing key infrastructural projects of the Federal Government in the North, including the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the dualisation of the Kano-Maiduguri Road, the Sokoto-Gusau-Funtua-Zaria Highway, the Abuja-Keffi-Makurdi Road, the Ilorin-Jebba-Minna Road, the Abuja-Lokoja Road, and the Kano-Katsina road dualisation.

Other road projects he mentioned included the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway, the Malando-Garin Baka-Ngaski-Warra Road, the Bid-Zungeru-Kagara Road, the Gombe-Biu Road, the Yola-Numan-Jalingo Road, the Kaduna-Kano Railway, the Light Rail Projects in Kaduna, Kano, and the FCT, and the AKK Gas Pipeline.

Bagudu also mentioned the enhancement of healthcare facilities under Tinubu and stated that over 1,003 primary healthcare centres were revitalised in two years, adding that 10 of the nation’s upgraded medical warehouses were in the North.

He stated that there had been a significant upgrade in federal teaching hospitals and medical centres across Katsina, Bauchi, Yobe, Borno, Zaria, Adamawa, Kebbi, Taraba, and Kano.

He pointed out that under the MAMII programme, the region recorded 13.1 million antenatal visits, 4.2 million safe deliveries, 4,000 free Caesarean sections, and 6 million women receiving nutritional support.

“This is not charity. It is health justice delivered with intent,” he stated firmly.

Bagudu said Tinubu’s policies were equitable and fair to all regions, explaining that the president ensured that his Renewed Hope legacy projects were distributed equally to all.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has demonstrated a comprehensive and strategic approach to addressing the economic, social, and governance challenges in Nigeria,” he said.

The citizen engagement, which took place from Tuesday to Wednesday, assessed the implementation of the election promises Tinubu made to the Foundation during the 2023 general election.

While some northern leaders believed the region had not been treated fairly, 19 governors and federal political appointees held a different view, supported by facts and data about the president’s programmes in the area.

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