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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Anambra State Government has posted a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $12.7 billion and a projected 2026 budget of ₦766 billion, as well as internally generated revenue (IGR) of approximately ₦7.2 billion, as against ₦2.2 billion last year.
Speaking during a technical session of the Indices and Disbursement Committee of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the Secretary to the Anambra State Government (SSG), Chiamaka Nneke, outlined the state’s economic profile, revenue performance, expenditure pressures and development priorities.
She disclosed that Anambra has 21 local government areas, 179 communities and an estimated population of 8.9 million people, with a GDP of approximately $12.7 billion and a projected 2026 budget of ₦766 billion.
She also reported that the state had increased its IGR from about ₦2.2 billion to approximately ₦7.2 billion. Nneke explained that interconnected commercial and industrial centres, such as Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi, along with petroleum-producing areas, drive Anambra’s economy. However, she identified insecurity, erosion, flooding, inflation and the rising cost of public services as major fiscal pressures. She added that sit-at-home orders and restricted movement had disrupted commercial activities, affected government revenue and weakened investor confidence.
On security, the SSG highlighted government interventions, including the enactment of a Homeland Security Law, the establishment of a state security outfit and collaboration through a joint task force. She said that additional support would strengthen security operations through operational vehicles, surveillance and communication equipment, personnel training and improved coordination, thereby helping to protect lives and property, restore investor confidence and stimulate economic activities.
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On environmental challenges, Nneke reported that Anambra had more than 1,000 erosion sites, with 146 communities affected at varying levels. She estimated that approximately ₦170 billion would be required to address identified critical sites. The SSG highlighted ongoing erosion-control projects, including flood management, road rehabilitation, land reclamation, waterway clearance, tree planting and restrictions on sand mining near vulnerable areas, while appealing for further resources to protect communities and critical infrastructure.
On healthcare and education, the SSG highlighted the state’s free antenatal care and delivery programme, which she said had supported more than 206,000 deliveries, including 642 Caesarean sections, at no cost to beneficiaries. She also reported the recruitment of 8,415 teachers and the introduction of free education from nursery to Senior Secondary School Three.
In a statement, she noted that these initiatives had increased demand for medical personnel, equipment, medicines, classrooms, learning materials and other public services, making sustained investment necessary to maintain quality and expand access.
Nneke identified agriculture as a major opportunity for economic diversification, disclosing that the state had distributed more than 2.3 million coconut and oil-palm seedlings. She called for investments in processing, storage, irrigation, cold-chain facilities and market access to improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and create jobs. She also identified mineral resources, including kaolin, bentonite, lignite, silica sand, gypsum and laterite, as well as petroleum-related opportunities, noting the need for geological surveys, processing facilities and supporting infrastructure to attract investors.
Tourism was also highlighted as a potential source of employment, investment and revenue growth. Nneke cited Agulu Lake and other natural and heritage attractions, explaining that improved access roads, visitor facilities and supporting infrastructure would help position the state as a more attractive destination.
