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In a significant development, the thirty-six state governors of Nigeria, acting under the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), have officially declared their support for the establishment of state-level police forces. This decision, formalized in a communiqué signed by NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, followed extensive deliberations during an NGF meeting in Abuja.

State Police Framework

• The governors emphasized that any move to establish state police must ensure the framework is constitutionally sound, protects citizens’ rights, and adheres to the principles of federalism.

• The resolution was reached after reviewing presentations from the Forum’s secretariat and a delegation of State Attorneys-General regarding proposed constitutional amendments.

• The Forum stated that ongoing consultations with the Attorneys-General will be used to reinforce the states’ collective stance on the matter.

• The proposal for state police has already been passed by the House of Representatives and has completed the second reading stage in the Senate.

Energy and Nutrition Initiatives Beyond security reforms, the governors reaffirmed their dedication to several national development goals:

• Power Sector: The Forum remains committed to power sector reforms and enhancing stakeholder collaboration to provide Nigerians with reliable, affordable electricity. They reviewed the National Solar Super-Grid (NSSG) Initiative, noting its capacity to boost industrialization, energy security, and economic growth through decentralized solar generation.

• Nutrition Governance: The governors pledged their support for the National Nutrition 774 (N-774) Initiative to combat child malnutrition. Furthermore, they expressed support for the ongoing development of the National Nutrition Bill, encouraging continued engagement with stakeholders to solidify the policy framework for nutrition in Nigeria.

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has attributed the state’s significant infrastructure growth to the increased financial support provided to subnational governments under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Governor Mbah made these remarks while hosting the “Renewed Hope Ambassadors,” a delegation currently conducting a media tour of the South-East to showcase collaborative federal and state government projects.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Governor Mbah emphasized that the federal administration has been deliberate in its goal to build a trillion-dollar economy by strengthening the “periphery” rather than relying on a top-down approach. Key takeaways regarding the state’s improved financial standing include:

• Resource Liberation: Policies such as the removal of fuel subsidies, exchange rate unification, and tax reforms have freed up essential resources, allowing states to fund capital projects that were previously impossible to sustain.

• Financial Flexibility: Unlike in the past, where governors often exhausted federal allocations just to cover salaries, the current fiscal environment provides the state with the necessary capital to invest in development.

• Educational Relief: The implementation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) has significantly reduced the financial burden of state-sponsored scholarships, allowing the government to reallocate those funds toward other urgent needs.

Infrastructure and Governance During the visit, which was led by presidential aides Bayo Onanuga and Sunday Dare, the delegation inspected several high-impact projects, including the Flyover Interchange Bridge at Abakpa Junction and the reconstruction of the 38.6-kilometre Enugu-Onitsha-Port Harcourt road.

Governor Mbah also highlighted his administration’s investments in security architecture, which he noted has fostered a safer climate for investment, and the construction of the Enugu International Specialist Hospital, aimed at curbing medical tourism. Addressing claims of regional neglect, Bayo Onanuga stated that President Tinubu has not ignored any part of the country, asserting that the tangible progress in Enugu serves as evidence of the positive results produced by strong federal-state partnerships.

In June 2026, the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) announced the distribution of ₦2.3 trillion in revenue to the three tiers of government, marking an increase from the ₦2.25 trillion shared in April. Bawa Mokwa, the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, confirmed that this amount includes ₦1.611 trillion in statutory revenue and ₦688.785 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• Total Revenue: The total gross revenue for May reached ₦3.39 trillion.

• Adjustments: Before distribution, ₦123.54 billion was deducted for collection costs, and ₦971.61 billion was accounted for through transfers and refunds.

• Statutory vs. VAT Performance: While gross statutory revenue rose by ₦273.62 billion to reach ₦2.65 trillion, VAT revenue experienced a decline, falling by ₦62.94 billion from April’s ₦806.61 billion to ₦743.66 billion in May.

Distribution to Government Tiers From the total ₦2.3 trillion distributable pool, the allocation was divided as follows:

• Federal Government: Received ₦818.68 billion total.

• State Governments: Received ₦759.14 billion total.

• Local Government Councils: Received ₦534.27 billion total.

• Derivation Revenue: Benefiting states were allocated ₦188.132 billion, representing 13 percent of mineral revenue.

Detailed Breakdown of Revenue Sources

• Statutory Revenue (₦1.611 trillion total): The Federal Government received ₦749.801 billion, states received ₦380.309 billion, and local governments received ₦293.202 billion.

• VAT Revenue (₦688.785 billion total): The Federal Government received ₦68.87 billion, states received ₦378.83 billion, and local governments received ₦241.07 billion.

Mokwa noted that while collections for Companies Income Tax, Petroleum Profit Tax, oil and gas royalties, and several other duties saw notable growth, there was a recorded downturn in collections for VAT, excise duty, and Common External Tariff levies.