News
Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi lead in S’East as Govs leave huge debts behind
Out of the 28 states, 11 governors will be seeking re-election in March.
They include Governors Mohammed Yahaya of Gombe; Babagana Zulum (Borno); Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Mai Buni (Yobe); Bello Matawalle (Zamfara); Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos); Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Abdulrahman Abdulrazak of Kwara state.
Those that will not be seeking re-elections are Emannuel Udom (Akwa Ibom); Samuel Ortom (Benue) Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); David Umahi (Ebonyi); Mohammed Abubakar (Gombe) Aminu Masari (Katsina); Bello Bagudu (Kebbi); Abubakar Bello (Niger); Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto); Simon Lalong (Plateau) and Darius Ishaku of Taraba.
Other governors that are not seeking re-election include the Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-rufai; Abdulahi Ganduje (Kano); Victor Ikpeazu (Abia); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Ben Ayade( Cross Rivers) and Nyesome Wike of Rivers.
The sub-national debts are classified into domestic-borrowings from local creditors and external-borrowings from foreign or international creditors like the World Bank.
The domestic and external debts published on the DMO’s website were as of September 30 and June 30, 2022, respectively.
According to the reports, sub-national domestic debts were about N4.38tn while their external debts were about $3.15bn or N1.42tn based on the exchange rate of the Central Bank of Nigeria of N449.53 to a dollar as of Thursday.
The data further shows that Lagos has the highest debt, with N877.04bn domestic debt and $1.27bn foreign debt.
It is followed by Kaduna, with a domestic debt of N86.86bn and external debt of $586.78m.
The third highest debt is Rivers, with a domestic debt of N225.51bn and foreign debt of $140.18m.
In the fourth highest debtor position is Cross Rivers, with N175.2bn domestic debt and $215.75m external debt.
It is followed by Ogun with N241.78bn domestic debt and $122.73m foreign debt.
Others include Bauchi (N144.28bn domestic debt and $172.76m external debt); Enugu (N89.89bn and $123.02m); Kano (N125.19bn and $109.42m); Abia (N104.57bn and $95.63m) and Adamawa (N122.48bn and $77.01m).
Other debtor states are Akwa Ibom (N219.62bn and $46.567m), Benue (N143.37bn and $30.47m), Borno (N96.33bn and $18.7m), Delta (N272.61bn and $60.05m), Ebonyi (N67.06bn and $59.84m), Gombe (N139.1bn and $46.93m), Jigawa (N44.41bn and $27.61m), Katsina (N62.37bn and $55.82m), Kebbi (N60.13bn and $42.40m), Kwara (N109.55bn and $45.94m), and Nasarawa (N72.63bn and $53.73m).
Also on the list are Niger (N98.26bn and $69.27m), Oyo (N160.07bn and $76.97m), Plateau (N151.90bn and $33.74m), Sokoto (N85.58bn and $37.13m), Taraba (N90.81bn and $22.28m), Yobe (N92.86bn and $23.09m) and Zamfara (N109.69bn and $29.33m).
The FCT had a domestic debt of N112.49bn and external debt of $25.38m.
These hese states and the FCT owed up to 81.72 per cent of the N5.36tn sub-national domestic debts and 69.08 per cent of $4.56bn external debts.
Speaking with our correspondent on Thursday over the phone, the Director, Portfolio Management Department of the DMO, Dele Afolabi, noted that each state was expected to send in quarterly information on their domestic debts.
He added that by being transparent with their debt profiles, states would be able to access more funding.
The debt servicing is done by the Federal Government but it is deducted from the federal allocation to the states.
States’ debts
In its December 2022 edition of the Nigeria Development Update, the World Bank noted that states’ debts would rise above 200 per cent of the revenue generated in 2022 and 2023.
The report read, “Debt levels for an average state are estimated to increase from 154.6 per cent of revenues in 2021 to above 200 per cent of revenues in both 2022 and 2023.”
According to the Washington-based bank, the increase in debts will be due to low allocation from the Federation Account, which will likely weaken the fiscal condition of the states.
The report added, “The fiscal condition of sub-national governments is expected to weaken in 2022, as Federation Account transfers for the average state are estimated to decline due to weak net oil revenue collection.
“For an average state, statutory transfers—the main source of state revenue—are estimated to decline by 5.5 per cent and internally generated revenue is estimated to remain at broadly the same levels as in 2021 (declining slightly by 0.8 percent).
‘’Nevertheless, total revenues for an average state are estimated to remain broadly unchanged in nominal terms as gains in VAT revenues are estimated to offset the declines in statutory transfers. However, expenditure is expected to increase by almost 4 per cent for an average state in nominal terms, especially capital expenditure, which is estimated to increase by 17.3 per cent in nominal terms in the run-up to the 2023 general election.
‘’Recurrent expenditure between 2021 and 2022 is estimated to have contracted by almost 5.4 per cent for an average state, raising concerns about accumulation of arrears. These trends are estimated to continue in 2023 with the fiscal position of the states weakening.”
The global lender had earlier said that Nigerian states will likely lose N18.8bn in oil and gas revenues in 2022, as worsening revenue collection at the federation level increases budgetary pressures for the states.
According to the bank, the declining revenue from the federation level has put many states in a precarious fiscal position.
It warned that many states would be unable to meet up with their expenditures, adding that there was an increase in debt servicing expenditures of states.
But the special Adviser Media and Publicity to the Cross River Governor, Christian Ita blamed the state’s debt burden on previous administrations.
He stated, “The debt burden on the state is something that was inherited by this administration. Indeed, as at May 29, 2015 when the current administration came on board, the state had attained the threshold of borrowing, a situation that made it impossible for the current administration to borrow.
“The disconcerting part is that while the administration was prevented from borrowing by the Debt Management Office, the federal government has been deducting between N1.6bn to N2bn monthly from the state’s allocation, thus leaving the state in dire straits.”
Speaking on its huge debt profile, the Lagos State government explained that its domestic and foreign debts were necessary because there was no other way the government could fund the projects executed in the state.
According to the estimate made by The PUNCH, Lagos state has the highest domestic debt of N876bn and a foreign debt of $1.27 bn.
Lagos defends debts
But the state Commissioner of Information, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, insisted that the debts were sustainable and would not hinder any development after May 29, adding that what the debts were used for was what mattered.
He said, “The debts are more than sustainable. Recently, Lagos State got a Fitch AA+ rating and what it means is that we are running our finances very well and we are super creditworthy. I think we are the only state in Nigeria to have had such a rating.
“Apart from that, people say Lagos State debt is high but the problem is not the high domestic or foreign debts but what they are used for. The United States of America has the highest debt profile in the world, yet many are flocking there. To borrow money to pay salaries is bad but to borrow it to fund projects that will generate revenue and provide jobs is good.
“Lagos has a high debt profile because it has embarked on and executed a lot of infrastructural and transport projects, among many that will in turn generate income. We have not expended up to 50 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product so we still have enough room to borrow money and that is why you see that people are turning over to Lagos because they know that the state is creditworthy.
“There is no way you can embark on the big projects that the Lagos State Government has executed without borrowing money. Where will the cash come from? Look at the Blue Rail, can you imagine the number of people it will be conveying daily and the jobs it has created? So there is no way you can fund that kind of project without borrowing money at all.
“This will never affect any development after May 29. In fact, if anything, it will bring more developments. By the time you say you save billions of naira to build a railway, even the people who should ride on it would have died, so one needs to find a way of funding it, and the better way is to borrow money, and local financial institutions are coming to Lagos to lend money to the government because they know the economy has a bright future.”
When contacted about the debts Governor Wike would be leaving for the incoming administration, the Rivers State Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu said he was in a meeting and could not comment.
Kaduna government
Similarly, there was no reaction from the Kaduna State Government when asked about its plans to address the huge debts on Thursday.
The Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the governor, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye could not be reached on the phone and he did not respond to the query sent to him on the Whatsapp platform.
Officials of Ogun State Government kept mum as both the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Waheed Odusile and Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Kunle Somorin did not respond to calls or messages sent to their phones.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress in Delta State has kicked against alleged plan by Governor Okowa to borrow N40b.
The party in a statement on Thursday warned all commercial banks and lending institutions in the country to be wary of the outgoing PDP government in the state.
The party said, ‘’It has come to the notice of the public and to the knowledge of the All Progressive Congress that the government of Delta state is yet again negotiating a loan facility for N40b.’’
In the statement endorsed by the APC governorship candidate in Delta State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the party noted with concern that “the need for such a facility has not been made public, neither has the purpose for which the credit is being sought.”
“It is also our knowledge that a bill seeking the approval for such a facility has not been presented before the House of Assembly and neither has approval been obtained”, it further stated.
Consequently, the party warned all commercial banks and lending institutions in the country to be wary of such borrowings.
The statement read partly, “Now therefore, be it known to all banks, lending institutions, credit agencies etc that any facility, loan, credit, advancement or borrowing by any other name known made or advanced to the government of Delta state in the course of the remaining tenure of the present administration will not be acceptable to the people of Delta state.
“The next administration and the citizens of Delta state will not be further encumbered by the rascality and profligacy of the present government.
“We state unequivocally that the state is over-borrowed and the citizens will not accept the encumbrance and obligations of further borrowing.’’
Hon. Obi Aguocha, member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, is facing mounting criticism and backlash over his video in which he is seen singing and vibing to a sexually vulgar and demeaning song against women.
In the video, which is currently making the rounds online and in Ikwuano/Umuahia WhatsApp groups, Aguocha is clearly seen singing and enjoying the Ogele cultural song, whose lyrics reduce women to objects of sexual gratification.
The footage was reportedly recorded at a public gathering that had families in attendance, including children, a detail that has intensified the backlash.
The song, performed in the Ogele cultural music tradition associated with communities in Abia State, has sparked outrage among women and women’s groups who say the lyrics are not just vulgar but deeply degrading.
“This is not culture. This is humiliation dressed in tradition,” said Mrs. Ngozi Ibe, a women’s leader in Umuahia North. “We have watched the video. The words used against women in that song are not the kind of thing any serious leader should be associated with. A lawmaker representing our constituency should be defending our dignity, not promoting content that strips women of it.”
Another woman, a trader in Umuahia South who identified herself simply as Madam Grace, said the video had caused deep anger among market women.
“We heard about it and we watched it. Many of us were shocked. You cannot claim to represent women and then be seen singing and vibing to a song where women are being insulted in the most vulgar way. We are not laughing. We are insulted,” she said.
A coalition of women’s groups in the constituency, under the aegis of the Ikwuano/Umuahia Concerned Women’s Forum, also issued a statement condemning the video.
“The lyrics go beyond ordinary expressions of affection. They employ vulgar sexual references that reduce women to objects and make our sexuality the subject of degrading entertainment. For a serving federal lawmaker to be seen actively singing and enjoying such content is a serious indictment on his judgment and his respect for the women he claims to represent,” the group said.
The women’s forum also expressed concern over the presence of children at the event.
“What message does it send to our children when a leader they look up to is seen celebrating a song that reduces women to sexual objects? This is not the kind of example we should be setting for the next generation,” the statement added.
“Ogele is our heritage. But heritage is not a licence for vulgarity. Culture should uplift, not humiliate. We call on Hon. Aguocha to explain his involvement in this video and to apologise to the women and families of Ikwuano/Umuahia,” the group said.
The controversy raises questions about the judgment expected of a public officeholder and the appropriateness of associating with content that many women and families could reasonably find offensive and humiliating.
Aguocha has not responded to requests for comment as of press time.
News
National Assembly Receives Proposals for New LGAs as Lagos Seeks 37, Akwa Ibom Missing from Lis
The National Assembly has reportedly received proposals for the creation of additional local government areas (LGAs) across Nigeria, with Lagos State seeking 37 new councils, while Akwa Ibom State is conspicuously missing from a published list of submissions.
The proposals, according to a report by The Insight Lens Project, cover various communities across the country’s six geopolitical zones and reflect demands for administrative restructuring, improved grassroots representation and better access to government services.
However, the complete list of submissions has not been independently verified, and the proposals do not constitute approval for the creation of new local government areas.
In the North-East, the reported requests include Bidoma and Michika South in Adamawa State, Boi-Tapshin in Bauchi, Banki in Borno, Cham in Gombe, Gudi in Yobe and Wukari in Taraba State.
In the North-West, the proposed areas reportedly include locations in Jigawa, Piriga in Kaduna, Dankama in Katsina, as well as Moriki and other communities in Zamfara State.
The North-Central zone also features in the reported submissions, with proposals covering Agasha and other communities in Benue State, alongside several areas in Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau states.
In the South-East, the list includes Abiriba in Abia State, proposed councils around Obosi in Anambra State, several communities in Ebonyi State and numerous proposed local government areas in Imo State.
The South-West proposals reportedly include Eso-Obe and Gbonyin in Ekiti State, Ogijo and other areas in Ogun State, as well as additional proposed councils in Osun and Oyo states.
Lagos State stands out with a reported request for 37 new local government areas, although the published report did not provide the names and proposed boundaries of all the councils.
In the South-South, the reported proposals include Akassa and other communities in Bayelsa State, Ughievwen in Delta State, several areas in Edo State, and Ataba, Evo and Alesa in Rivers State.
Cross River State is also listed, with proposed councils around Mbube and Calabar. Akwa Ibom State, however, has no clearly identified entry in the published list, raising questions about whether the state submitted proposals or was omitted from the report.
Constitutional Requirements
The creation of new local government areas is governed by Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, which prescribes a series of procedures involving consultations, a referendum, legislative approval and the submission of relevant records to the National Assembly.
The constitutional process must be completed before newly created councils can be recognised and reflected in the relevant constitutional schedules.
Consequently, proposals submitted by states or communities do not automatically translate into legally recognised local government areas.
The reported development comes amid broader constitutional review efforts by the National Assembly. In October 2025, the legislature reported receiving 278 requests for additional local government areas and 55 proposals for the creation of new states.
Nevertheless, the specific state-by-state submissions contained in the latest published list, including Lagos State’s reported demand for 37 additional councils and the absence of Akwa Ibom, remain subject to confirmation through official National Assembly records.
The proposals, if confirmed, could reopen discussions on administrative boundaries, grassroots governance and the constitutional procedures required for the creation of additional local government areas in Nigeria.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Mayor of Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ezennia Emelie Ibekwe, has issued a stern warning to traders and residents against indiscriminate dumping of refuse and blockage of drainage channels, threatening sanctions against those who fail to comply with sanitation directives.
Ibekwe, who handed down the warning during an inspection of Ajasa Market, expressed displeasure over the deteriorating environmental conditions in parts of the commercial city, describing the situation as unacceptable and detrimental to healthy living and business activities.
During the inspection, the Mayor observed that refuse and other waste materials generated from market activities were being dumped into drainage channels, obstructing the free flow of water and exposing traders, residents and their properties to flooding.
“This practice contributes to flooding whenever it rains, putting traders, residents and their properties at risk.
“An environment of this nature is not conducive to business and healthy living. It does not speak well of a commercial city that houses one of the largest markets in sub-Saharan Africa,” he stated.
Consequently, Ibekwe directed traders and other persons responsible for the blocked drainage channels to ensure their immediate clearance, giving them until the following day to comply.
He further announced that he would return to the market for another inspection to ascertain the level of compliance with the directive.
“People should be alive to their responsibilities by ensuring a clean and healthy environment. Government alone cannot handle this effectively without the active participation of residents and traders.
“I am going to come back here to see what you have done,” he warned.
The Mayor stressed that the sanitation directive was not restricted to Ajasa Market but extended to all markets within Onitsha North Local Government Area.
He consequently charged market leaders to take responsibility for enforcing environmental sanitation regulations within their respective markets, warning that the council would no longer tolerate practices capable of worsening flooding and environmental degradation.
“It is not only Ajasa Market but all the markets in Onitsha North Local Government Area. Market leaders should ensure that this directive is not compromised,” Ibekwe declared.
The Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, has commissioned a community market in Afi, Ikom II State Constituency, as part of his commitment to sustainable development and improved living conditions in rural communities.
The project, facilitated and completed by the Speaker, was identified as one of the priority needs of the community following consultations by the Constituency Needs Assessment Team established by Ayambem to evaluate infrastructure and identify projects that would directly benefit the people.
The team was mandated to identify critical infrastructure capable of improving the livelihoods of residents and promoting sustainable economic growth across the constituency.
According to community members, the absence of a suitable trading environment had been a major challenge for years, forcing traders to conduct business under harsh weather conditions, including rain and intense sunshine.
Speaking on behalf of the community, the village head, Chief Etta Ekawor, commended Ayambem for the intervention, describing the market as a miracle and a blessing that would transform the fortunes of the people.
In his remarks, Ayambem expressed appreciation to the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, for his continued support for people-oriented projects and development initiatives across rural communities in the state.
He also thanked the people for their patience, support for his leadership and commitment to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Speaker was accompanied by the member representing Yala I State Constituency, Hon. Brian Odey; the Vice Chairman of Ikom Local Government Area, Hon. Maurice Ndome; and the Assistant Financial Secretary of the APC in Cross River State, Hon. Akanya Agbor.
Other stakeholders from Nde Ward who attended the commissioning included the former Vice Chairman of Ikom Local Government Area, Hon. Asinya Ntan, and the Community Relations Officer, Hon. Abang Neji.
Matthew Okache
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker
October 22, 2026
News
Holy Ghost Transformation: How Enugu North Chairman Ibenaku Onoh Ended Years of Traffic Chaos, Roadside Trading
Driving through Holy Ghost and Chris Chemist Roundabout in Enugu metropolis was, until recently, a nightmare many motorists dreaded. Those who dared to navigate the busy commercial corridor often had unpleasant tales to tell.
Beyond the chaotic traffic situation, the area was notorious for rowdy and unorganised roadside trading, indiscriminate parking, commercial buses competing for passengers and the activities of illegal levy collectors who allegedly extorted motorists under various guises, including car radio licences and local government levies.
It was a situation that appeared to have defied successive interventions, leaving residents and motorists wondering whether sanity could ever return to one of Enugu’s busiest commercial districts.
Onoh, Executive Chairman Enugu North
Today, however, the Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area, Hon. Ibenaku Onoh, appears to have achieved what many considered almost impossible.
Through a combination of political will, infrastructural adjustments and sustained enforcement, the once-chaotic Holy Ghost corridor has witnessed a remarkable transformation, with improved traffic flow and a significant reduction in the disorder that previously characterised the area.
Onoh explained that his decision to tackle the perennial congestion was inspired by the massive road rehabilitation, urban renewal and aesthetic improvements being undertaken across Enugu metropolis by Governor Peter Mbah.
According to him, having witnessed the governor’s determination to give Enugu a modern outlook through infrastructural development and beautification, he considered it necessary for the local government to key into the vision by sanitising Holy Ghost and its adjoining commercial areas.
He noted that it would amount to a contradiction for the state government to invest heavily in road rehabilitation and urban renewal while one of the city’s busiest commercial corridors remained overwhelmed by traffic congestion, illegal trading and environmental disorder.
Consequently, Onoh identified the Holy Ghost traffic situation as one of his administration’s immediate priorities upon assuming office.
He disclosed that he visited the area four times within his first week in office to personally assess the challenges before approaching Governor Mbah with a proposal to remove the Chris Chemist Roundabout.
“When I came on board, I paid attention to that area. In my first week of working here, I went there like four times. And I knew that was the problem. So I told the governor that the Chris Chemist Roundabout was a problem and that it had to go. The governor told me, go ahead and do whatever you want,” he recalled.
Armed with the governor’s approval, the council commenced the removal of the roundabout, expanded and asphalted portions of the road, and redesigned the median separating traffic moving into and out of Holy Ghost.
The chairman explained that the median had virtually become a market, with traders occupying every available space and contributing to the perennial congestion.
Rather than merely displacing the traders, his administration reconstructed the median in a manner that made it uncomfortable and unsuitable for roadside trading, thereby discouraging their return.
He also acknowledged the contribution of the new Holy Ghost transport terminal constructed by the Mbah administration, noting that commercial buses which previously clustered along the roads had been moved into the facility.
“The terminal has also helped. We thank the governor for that terminal. Some of these buses that used to cluster the road, we have now pushed them into the terminal,” he stated.
But beyond the physical transformation, Onoh identified sustained enforcement as the greatest challenge in restoring sanity to the area.
He explained that roadside traders and other operators frequently attempted to return to prohibited locations despite repeated efforts to remove them.
According to him, the situation required not only determination but also the establishment of a legal framework to deal with persistent offenders.
Consequently, the council approached the Chief Judge and subsequently enacted a by-law establishing a mobile court for the local government.
Onoh said the court provided a legal mechanism for prosecuting offenders, ensuring that resistance to enforcement would no longer end in mere confrontations with council officials.
He further alleged that some individuals had attempted to compromise enforcement efforts by offering monthly financial inducements, insisting that his administration would not sacrifice its objectives for personal gains.
“For me, I know exactly what I want, and once I see what I don’t want, I know I don’t want it. I think it is also that discipline, strength and consistency that have made us sustain it for as long as we have,” he said.
The chairman disclosed that enforcement remained a daily exercise, recalling how he recently directed his Chief Security Officer to remove wheelbarrows that had resurfaced around the council premises.
He maintained that without consistency, the gains recorded in Holy Ghost could easily be reversed by individuals determined to reclaim public spaces for unauthorised commercial activities.
Meanwhile, the council has shifted attention to another major environmental challenge in the area: indiscriminate waste disposal.
Onoh disclosed that his administration recently took delivery of about 35 large waste bins procured from Lagos, which would be deployed across the commercial district.
He explained that additional metal fabrication was being carried out to make the bins compatible with evacuation trucks operated by the Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA).
According to him, the initiative would provide traders, residents and commuters with designated refuse disposal points before the council intensifies prosecution of environmental offenders.
“People just come and dump their waste on the road. What I have said is to give them an option. I will give you an option of where you are supposed to put waste. But when you don’t do it, by the time we take you to mobile court and have you arraigned there, you will know that you had an option,” he explained.
For motorists familiar with the old Holy Ghost, the difference is striking. What was once regarded as an unavoidable traffic nightmare is gradually becoming an example of how local government leadership can complement the urban renewal agenda of the state government.
For Onoh, however, the achievement is not merely about removing a roundabout or displacing roadside traders. It is about ensuring that the massive investments being made by Governor Mbah in transforming the Enugu capital are complemented by discipline, environmental responsibility and orderliness at the grassroots.
The challenge now is to sustain the transformation and ensure that the disorder which once defined the Holy Ghost and Chris Chemist corridor does not return.
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