By Louis Achi
According to Henrik Johan Ibsen, Norwegian playwright considered the world’s pre-eminent dramatist of the 19th century, “Home life ceases to be free and beautiful as soon as it is founded on borrowing and debt.”
This enduring insight must have fired the imagination and illuminated the governance philosophy of unassuming, youthful Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State. To-date, he has delivered impactful governance without borrowing a dime.
This is unusual in a socio-political milieu where many states grapple with unsustainable debt and yet indulge in cavalier borrowing spree. Here Sokoto State comes out really smelling like roses.
Barely 24 months in the saddle as the state’s chief executive, Governor Aliyu has stamped his authority in human and infrastructural development proceedings in the conservative North-Western enclave by deploying frugal, circumspect, empathetic and inclusive governance nous in administering the state – particularly in a time of multi-faceted turbulence.
But according to the renowned Austrian-American management sage Peter Drucker, “The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence – it is to act with yesterday’s logic.” Governor Aliyu has simply refused to act with yesterday’s logic. This trajectory, perhaps not surprisingly, has drawn recognition and appreciation from many, including prominent watchdogs of society.
For context, Nigeria’s debt has surged significantly in recent quarters, climbing from N49.85 trillion before the 2023 general elections to N134.30 trillion by the end of the first half of 2024. This sharp increase primarily reflects the impact of policy-induced Naira depreciation, aggressive government borrowing, and rising borrowing costs.
According to data sourced from the Debt Management Office (DMO), Africa’s fourth largest economy has as much as N63 trillion ($43 billion) as its foreign debt, accounting for 47 percent of the total debt stock as at Q2 2024. The federal government took the lion share, borrowing approximately N56 trillion while the 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had N7 trillion as their external debt.
It should be noted here that any borrowing done by the Sokoto State Government predates the administration of Governor Aliyu who is boldly traveling a different path.
A more cursory look at the ‘borrow-borrow’ data showed that the Nigerian government relied more on domestic borrowings as it accounted for 53 percent of total debt profile with the FGN taking N66 trillion and state governments having N4 trillion as their debts.
Nigeria’s debt stock has grown from 53 percent recorded in Q1 2024 to 58 percent in Q2, defying the DMO’s self-imposed public debt ceiling of 40 percent, as outlined in the agency’s Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy.
Although the current public debt-to-GDP ratio is slightly below the IMF’s 60 percent benchmark for emerging market countries, the nation’s weak revenue profile and FX volatility risks could further escalate debt levels, straining the already strained economy.
Against the forgoing backdrop, it was perhaps not surprising that the Sokoto State Parliament recently commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto for executing numerous developmental projects without taking loan from any financial institution.
“There was never a time you approached us with a request for permission to borrow money from any financial institutions whether at home or abroad,” the elated Parliament told Governor Aliyu during a Sallah homage to the state chief executive. This is indeed worthy of commendation considering the myriad people-oriented projects you are executing across the state, the State House of Assembly had added.
The Deputy Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kabir Ibrahim Kware had led a Parliamentary delegation to visit Governor Aliyu and deliver a Sallah homage. It was also a good opportunity to let the governor know that the state legislature was carefully tracking his governance trajectory.
In executing a compelling swathe of development projects guided by it 9-point smart agenda, Sokoto State has not borrowed a dime. What metric of financial prudence can trump this footing. The governor has simply and sternly prioritized the judicious use of funds.
Early in his tenure, Governor Aliyu inaugurated several committees to monitor project implementation across the three senatorial zones of the state and charged his appointees to ensure the exercise aligns with due process and budgetary provision. Their mandates include ensuring projects meet contractual terms of quality, delivery time, and cost.
Ultimately, fiscal transparency and financial responsibility mean living within an entity’s means. The Sokoto State Government has been living within its means. It has never borrowed a kobo.
It’s out in the public space: Sokoto State has been recognized as a leading example in fiscal transparency. In a recent assessment by the World Bank’s States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme, Sokoto ranked first in the country. This ranking was based on rigorous criteria, including the publication of fiscal documents, accessibility of budget information, and implementation of sound financial management practices.
The state operates a fully functional e-procurement platform. The platform is designed to enhance transparency in public procurement by publishing all procurement details, allowing for public feedback and ensuring fair competition. The platform aligns with international best practices and serves as a critical tool for minimizing corruption and inefficiencies in public resource management.
Under the SFTAS programme, Sokoto State has implemented key reforms to enhance fiscal transparency and accountability. These include: Publishing budget implementation reports and audited financial statements promptly; Adopting a citizen-friendly budgeting process to involve the public in financial planning and execution; and strengthening internal control mechanisms to ensure prudent resource management.
Governor Aliyu stands out for his administration’s fiscal discipline which has significantly enabled the execution of numerous developmental projects without resorting to loans as well as maintaining a debt-free status with contractors. This circumspect approach ensures long-term sustainability and reflects a governance model rooted in accountability and financial responsibility.=
Attuned to knowledge imperatives of the 21st Century for human resources transformation, the Governor Aliyu-led administration recently initiated a digital training programme designed to transition participants from digital illiteracy to digital literacy and provide extensive training in computer literacy, graphic design, video editing, social media marketing, and AI for productivity. This critical project is anchored by the State’s Ministry of Innovation and Digital Economy (MIDE).
Governor Aliyu further announced the state government’s plans to train further 10,000 individuals across the state, aimed at enhancing digital skills and promote self-sustainability. Participants, drawn from all 23 local government areas in Sokoto State have reported significant improvements in their digital skills since the program’s inception.
The training covered essential courses, including Digital Computer Literacy, Social Media Marketing, Graphic Design, Video Editing, and Artificial Intelligence for Productivity.
This initiative is a key component of Sokoto State’s proactive strategy to prepare its citizens for digital transformation. MIDE remains dedicated to advancing digital literacy, technological advancement and fostering innovation across all sectors of the economy of Sokoto State.
Governor Aliyu set sail with by enunciating a 9-point smart agenda. These include – education, health, water, agriculture, security, youth empowerment, local government autonomy, religious affairs, and economy. These have guided the compelling impact his administration has wrought in Sokoto State, less than two years in the saddle.
Fundamentally undergirding these agenda is sweeping infrastructure development. This is a foundational imperative and Governor Aliyu recognizes this. It’s then little wonder that sweeping infrastructure revamp is a defining feature of his administration.
His vision in this crucial arena explains why the Sokoto State Government boldly allocated its lion share of resources to transformational projects. As it were, the 2025 budget, accurately tagged the “Transformation and Infrastructural Sustainability Budget,” allocated a princely ₦349.4 billion, approximately 66% of the total budget – to capital projects.
This audacious obligation mirrors the administration’s unswerving focus on nurturing connectivity, revamping public facilities, and birthing an enabling environment for upscaled economic activities.
This is a good place to again, recall Henrik Johan Ibsen insight that, “Home life ceases to be free and beautiful as soon as it is founded on borrowing and debt.”
Ask Governor Ahmed Aliyu!