The Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, has charged State Commissioners for Budget and Economic Planning to transcend federal-state boundaries and actively align their economic strategies to unlock a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Speaking while delivering a keynote address at a two-day retreat for Honourable Commissioners, State Permanent Secretaries and State Directors of Budget and Economic Planning, themed ‘Aligning State Priorities for National Development’, in Abuja, Anite said the aim of the retreat was to impress upon stakeholders that Nigeria’s goal of achieving a $1 trillion economy is no longer a distant aspiration for 2030 but one that requires immediate and concerted action.
She reiterated that achieving this ambitious target requires a shift from passive implementation to active leadership, encouraging participants to examine their unique economic profiles against national targets in order to identify and exploit their comparative advantages. She also urged them to align local budgets, policies and development plans with national priorities, saying this would ensure coherence and shared prosperity.
According to a statement by Julie Osagie Jacobs, the minister assured participants that the incoming Medium-Term National Development Plan (2026–2030) would serve as the strategic execution framework.
The statement said that, in her welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Deborah Odoh, stated that the retreat provided an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between the Federal and State Governments and also served as a platform to identify practical ways of improving planning and implementation processes.
She added that the success of the National Economic Council depends not only on sound policies but also on the dedication, professionalism and collaboration of all stakeholders. She therefore encouraged participants to engage actively, contribute openly and participate constructively in discussions throughout the retreat.
The statement also noted that, in his remarks, the newly elected Community of Practice Chairman, Mr Sonny Akporokiamo Ekedayen, charged his colleagues to hit the ground running, especially at this critical stage of the nation’s development. He pledged, on behalf of his fellow commissioners, to work towards advancing the country’s development objectives.
“During the technical session, Prof. Ken Ife, a resource person, presented papers on ‘Understanding National Development Priorities: The Role of States’ and ‘Aligning State Development Plans with the 2026–2030 National Development Plan: State Priorities, Inputs and Implementation Strategies’.
“Other directors in the ministry presented papers on ‘Macroeconomic Outlook and Strategic Priorities for National Development’ and ‘The Process for the 2026–2030 National Development Plan and Next Steps’, among others.
“The National Coordinator of the Nigerian Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE)-Governance Project, Dr Assad Hassan, presented a paper on the HOPE-Governance Programme, while the National Coordinator of the Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons and Host Communities (SOLID) Programme, Hajiya Hajara Ahmad, presented a paper on the SOLID Programme,” the statement noted.