Tinubu Urges Governors to Invest in Rural Growth

President Bola Tinubu has urged state governors to intensify efforts in improving the lives of Nigerians by focusing on rural electrification, mechanised agriculture, poverty reduction, and infrastructure development.

The President made the call on Thursday during the 150th National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held at the State House Council Chambers in Abuja. His appeal followed a presentation by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, on the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme (RHWDP).

“I want to appeal to you; let us change the story of our people in the rural areas,” Tinubu was quoted as saying in a statement released by Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President).

“The economy is working. We are on the path of recovery, but we need to stimulate growth in the rural areas. We know the situation in the rural areas, let us collaborate and do what will benefit the people,” the President added.

Emphasising the importance of joint efforts, Tinubu urged governors to partner with the Federal Government in driving economic transformation at the grassroots.

“We have to embrace mechanisation in agriculture, fight insecurity and improve school enrolment through school-feeding,” he said.

To further drive his administration’s infrastructure agenda, Tinubu directed the NEC to establish a committee focused on delivering major national projects such as the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry Super Highways. He also ordered the relocation of the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation to the Presidency to ensure efficient coordination of legacy initiatives.

Meanwhile, the NEC endorsed the RHWDP, a ward-based strategy designed to fast-track national growth through targeted interventions in Nigeria’s 8,809 administrative wards across the 36 states.

Presented by Bagudu, the plan was approved as a collaborative venture between the federal, state, and local governments. It aligns with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and aims to achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2030, requiring sustained double-digit growth. Currently, Nigeria’s economic growth is under four percent.

The RHWDP’s legal backing stems from the 1999 Constitution and the Fifth Alteration Act, which compels state policies to support food security and improved production methods.

The programme targets a minimum of 1,000 economically active individuals in small wards and 2,000 in larger ones. A National Steering Committee, with representation from all six geopolitical zones, will guide the rollout, while the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning will serve as the secretariat.