EDITORIAL: More revenue, greater responsibility: States must deliver for Nigerians

Nigerian state governments have a greater opportunity to improve people’s lives, but that opportunity must not be wasted. With public revenue rising sharply, citizens should expect better schools, hospitals, roads, water supply and other essential services. More money in government accounts must mean better living conditions for the people.

The World Bank’s October 2026 Nigeria Development Update provides a clear reason for this expectation. It reports that state governments’ revenues increased by 93 per cent in real terms between 2023 and 2025, while expenditure rose by 92 per cent. The share of spending devoted to capital projects also increased from 46 per cent to 61 per cent.

These figures show that states have more resources to work with and are spending more on infrastructure. Such investments are important. Good roads help farmers transport their produce, connect businesses to markets and make journeys easier. Better public facilities can also support economic growth and create opportunities for employment.

However, development cannot be measured by the amount of money spent or the number of projects announced. What matters is whether these investments improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

The decline in education’s share of state expenditure is particularly concerning. According to the World Bank, education accounted for 14.9 per cent of total state spending in 2021 but only 12.1 per cent in 2025. Health spending remained broadly stable at around seven per cent. Although education spending increased in absolute terms, it grew more slowly than spending on economic infrastructure.

This does not mean that every state has neglected its schools or that education budgets have fallen everywhere. But it raises an important question about priorities. Nigeria cannot build a prosperous future if its children lack good classrooms, qualified teachers and the resources needed to learn.

State governments must therefore explain how their spending decisions address the needs of their people. Roads and bridges matter, but so do functioning hospitals, well-equipped schools, clean water and support for vulnerable families. These are not competing demands; they are all essential parts of development.

The next step must be stronger public accountability. Every state should make its budgets, spending records and project details easily available to citizens. People should be able to see how much was approved for a project, how much was actually spent, when it was completed and whether it is serving its intended purpose.

State Houses of Assembly must also do more than approve budgets. They should closely examine government expenditure, investigate abandoned projects and demand explanations where public money has not produced the promised results. Auditors and anti-corruption agencies must act on credible evidence of waste or misuse.

Citizens, too, have a role to play. Community groups, journalists and civil society organisations should monitor projects, ask questions and report discrepancies. Public funds belong to the people, and asking how they are spent is a legitimate democratic responsibility.

The World Bank has noted improvements in fiscal reporting and transparency among states, but stronger spending efficiency and better service delivery remain necessary.

Ultimately, the test of good governance is not how much money a government receives, but what it achieves with that money. State governors must turn increased revenue into visible improvements in public services and living standards.

Nigerians have endured difficult economic conditions. They deserve governments that treat additional public revenue as a responsibility, not a reward. More money must bring more results. Anything less would be a failure of public trust.