Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has said that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, states and local governments have received unprecedented financial support, enabling them to deliver more development projects.
Gatekeepers News reports that Sanwo-Olu said the current federal allocation regime has significantly improved, ensuring that no governor or local government chairman can complain of inadequate funding.
The governor made the remarks on Tuesday in Kaduna while delivering a keynote address at a public lecture organised by the Arewa Think Tank (ATT) to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary. The event, held at the Arewa House, had as its theme: “65th Year of Nigeria’s Independence: The Journey So Far with the Renewed Hope Agenda in View.”
The lecture brought together political leaders, academics, youth groups, and other stakeholders to reflect on Nigeria’s progress and challenges under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Sanwo-Olu commended Nigerians for their resilience and commitment to national unity since independence, noting that despite past difficulties, the country had shown remarkable capacity for reform and growth.
“Today, that story has changed. Ask any state governor or local government chairman, and they will tell you just how much revenue has surged under the watch of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said. “There is now more money to do more that benefits the people of Nigeria.”
The governor attributed the fiscal improvement to deliberate policy reforms by President Tinubu aimed at strengthening federalism and empowering subnational governments.
He revealed that federal allocations to state governments have increased by about 62 per cent between 2023 and 2024, while allocations to local governments rose by 47 per cent during the same period.
Sanwo-Olu also pointed to the recent tax reforms, which reduced the Federal Government’s share of Value Added Tax (VAT) from 15 per cent to 10 per cent, as further proof of the administration’s commitment to fiscal decentralisation.
“With the new tax laws, states now get 55 per cent of VAT while local governments receive 35 per cent,” he said. “This is another bold step by the President to ensure that governance is closer to the people.”
He commended the Tinubu administration’s push for local government financial autonomy, referencing the Supreme Court’s ruling that affirmed the constitutional independence of local councils.
Sanwo-Olu said the President’s next reform priority is to restructure Nigeria’s security architecture through the creation of State Police, a policy he described as “long overdue and fundamental.”
Quoting President Tinubu’s recent remarks to community leaders in Katsina, the governor said:
“I am reviewing all aspects of security. I have to create a State Police. We are looking at that holistically. We will defeat insecurity.”
According to Sanwo-Olu, the Renewed Hope Agenda is designed to build bridges across Nigeria’s diverse regions through equity, reform, and inclusive development.
“President Tinubu is a veteran unifier and a bridge-builder. His Renewed Hope Agenda is about connecting Nigeria — bridges of reform, of prosperity, and of national unity,” he said.
Drawing from the legacy of Nigeria’s founding fathers, especially the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the governor urged leaders to pursue people-oriented and locally inspired development.
“More than six decades later, the Sardauna’s words still ring true. Our duty is to build on those legacies, planting trees we may not sit under, but ensuring a better Nigeria for future generations,” he added.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s unity and resilience, declaring that the nation would overcome its current challenges.
“We will continue to affirm that Nigeria is a proudly multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multicultural country. What binds us together is far stronger than what divides us. We shall overcome every challenge — poverty, hunger, and terrorism,” he stated.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also reiterated Lagos State’s commitment to partnering with the Federal Government in implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda and driving inclusive national growth.
“The task ahead is immense, but together, guided by unity and purpose, we will achieve it,” he said.
