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The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, has said that northern states have recorded unprecedented economic progress under President Bola Tinubu, pointing to a surge in revenue inflows and a sharp reduction in debt levels as clear evidence of the administration’s impact.
Bagudu made the assertion on Wednesday in Kaduna during a two-day Government-Citizen Engagement session organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation. The event, which focused on assessing the fulfilment of electoral promises under the theme “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizen Engagement for National Unity,” drew more than 60 key Northern political leaders, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, ministers, heads of federal agencies, state governors and leading regional organisations such as the Arewa Consultative Forum.
Speaking at the forum, Bagudu explained that President Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of the fuel subsidy, had significantly expanded the fiscal space for states across the country. He disclosed that between May 2023 and June 2025, total net statutory revenue and VAT allocations to states and local governments, excluding EMT levies, foreign exchange gains and other augmentations, more than doubled, rising from N458.81 billion to N991.81 billion, representing an increase of 116.17 percent.
“By ending the fuel subsidy, President Tinubu made a hard but necessary call—liberating trillions of naira and expanding federal allocations by over 340 percent. States now have the means to invest in their future,” Bagudu said, adding that all states had benefited from the reform, with Northern states among the biggest gainers.
He cited Gombe State as an example, noting that its monthly allocation had risen from N6.69 billion in May 2023 to N24.91 billion in 2025, an increase of 272.35 percent. Kaduna State, he added, had seen its allocation jump from N11.94 billion to N42.01 billion during the same period—a leap of 251.84 percent.
According to Bagudu, the North Central region saw a 145 percent increase in revenue allocation, the North East 149 percent and the North West 143 percent. He stressed that the improved inflows had allowed states to fund their development priorities more effectively. The minister also revealed that the total domestic debt profile of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory had dropped by 33.4 percent, from ₦5.8 trillion to ₦3.8 trillion, as a direct result of the administration’s fiscal policies. The North, he said, had achieved a 42.06 percent debt reduction, with liabilities falling from ₦1.98 trillion to ₦1.14 trillion.
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“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 remains committed to fiscal transparency, equitable distribution and close collaboration with states and local governments,” Bagudu said.
The minister further pointed to landmark infrastructure investments across the North as evidence of the president’s commitment to balanced national development. He listed major road projects, 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 Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway. He also referenced the Kano-Katsina Road dualisation, the Kaduna-Kano Railway, light rail developments in Kaduna, Kano and the Federal Capital Territory, and the AKK Gas Pipeline as part of the administration’s broader efforts to boost infrastructure.
In the health sector, Bagudu disclosed that 1,003 primary healthcare centres had been revitalised in the past two years, with 10 of the nation’s upgraded medical warehouses located in Northern Nigeria. He added that federal teaching hospitals and medical centres in Katsina, Bauchi, Yobe, Borno, Zaria, Adamawa, Kebbi, Taraba and Kano had all undergone significant upgrades. Under the MAMII programme, the region had 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 declared.
Bagudu insisted that President Tinubu’s policies were fair to all regions, noting that the administration had adopted a comprehensive and strategic approach to addressing Nigeria’s economic, social and governance challenges. “The Renewed Hope legacy projects are fairly distributed and designed to benefit every region,” he said.
The Kaduna engagement, which concluded on Wednesday, was convened to evaluate the progress of the promises President Tinubu made to the Foundation during the 2023 general election. While some Northern leaders expressed concerns about perceived marginalisation, the facts and figures presented by the 19 governors and federal political appointees in attendance pointed to substantial economic and social gains for the region under Tinubu’s leadership.
