At NEC Conference, Tinubu Wants Action, Promises Stronger Economy

• Says reforms must deliver jobs, opportunities, better schools, healthcare

• Council expands anti-oil theft mandate, tasks states on tax, social spending

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday promised to build a more resilient economy and inclusive society. Tinubu urged federal and state governments to move beyond deliberations and translate the resolutions of the National Economic Council (NEC) Conference into concrete gains for Nigerians.

The president made the assertions at the close of the two-day NEC conference.

In a speech read on his behalf by Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu said his government would sustain its reform drive, stressing that policies must produce visible improvements in citizens’ daily lives.

According to him, “Reform is not an event. It is a process. It requires courage, patience and consistency.

“The decisions we make here must translate into visible improvements in the daily lives of all Nigerians, in jobs created, businesses supported, roads constructed, schools strengthened, healthcare improved and opportunities expanded.”

He commended Vice President Kashim Shettima for his steady leadership of NEC, while thanking governors, ministers, development partners, and private sector stakeholders for their participation.

The president said sustainable prosperity required deeper collaboration between the federal government and states, as well as disciplined execution of agreed policies.

He stated, “The renewed hope agenda is not a slogan. It is a national commitment, and that commitment demands that we move beyond dialogue to delivery.

“I leave this conference reassured that we are aligned in purpose and united in responsibility.

“Together, we will build a more resilient economy, a more inclusive society and a stronger Federation.”

The conference, with the theme, “Delivering Inclusive Growth and Sustainable National Development: The Renewed Hope National Development Plan,” produced wide-ranging policy recommendations for all tiers of government.

Presenting the communiqué at the end of the two-day conference, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Deborah Odoh, said participants resolved that the mandate of the NEC committee against crude oil theft should be sustained and expanded.

The communiqué also urged the federal government and states to foster stronger partnerships with the private sector, civil society and development partners to advance inclusive and sustainable national development.

On taxation, participants commended 12 states that had already passed the harmonised tax law and urged 13 states with pending bills at their Houses of Assembly to expedite passage, while calling on the remaining 11 states to commence the process.

“States should enact the harmonised tax law to address multiple taxation and complement the new tax reform laws,” the conference resolved.

On human capital development, the conference called for increased investment in education and health, warning that persistent underinvestment in the sectors required urgent correction.

It stated, “State governments should increase per capita spending on health, education and youth employment to improve human capital outcomes and expand opportunities for economic participation.

“Nigeria’s persistent underinvestment in the education and health sectors needs to be revisited, particularly when compared with peer countries.”

On security, the participants recommended non-kinetic approaches to complement military operations, stressing that tackling unemployment and poverty would help curb insecurity.

It also called for stronger inter-agency cooperation and urged state governments to key into the national security framework in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Other resolutions included expanding concessional financing for productive sectors, securing production corridors, strengthening federal-state coordination for domestic production, and ensuring optimal investment in oil and gas, while accelerating diversification into non-oil sectors.

The communiqué further recommended expediting constitutional amendments to address inconsistencies in fiscal federalism implementation, to enable effective rollout of the tax regime across all tiers of government.

Speaking to newsmen after the conference, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said the outcome of the retreat must be extended beyond government circles to include the organised private sector and the legislature.

Sanwo-Olu stated, “I’ve picked a whole lot personally. I tend to appreciate the challenges and problems that different parts of the country currently face, but essentially also be able to speak our individual stories and share our individual experiences.”

He urged his fellow governors to implement the resolutions, stating that Nigerians would only benefit when agreed decisions are fully executed.

Sanwo-Olu said the Tinubu administration had made notable progress in strengthening federal-state collaboration, adding that real development happens at the subnational level.

On his part, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, described the administration’s macroeconomic reforms as a major confidence booster for investors, citing improved stability in the foreign exchange market.

Abiodun stated, “There’s stability in the forex market. There’s confidence in holding the naira. Macroeconomic policies are the biggest enabler of investor confidence.”

He praised Tinubu’s infrastructure drive, particularly the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway and the Sokoto-Badagry road, describing them as far-reaching enablers of economic activity.

Abiodun said governors had “never had it so good” as under Tinubu’s leadership, stating that states remain central to policy implementation because they are closest to the grassroots.

The conference, convened by Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, attracted over 300 delegates, including governors, deputy governors, ministers, the Inspector-General of Police, members of the National Assembly, and representatives of international development partners and private sector organisations.

The gathering provided a platform for reviewing key economic issues and aligning subnational governments with the Tinubu administration’s strategic vision under the Renewed Hope National Development Plan 2026–2030.