• Gov to speak at int’l gathering in U.S.
Edo State recorded a 370 per cent growth in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the last eight years, with the projected revenue to close at N85 billion by the end of this year.
Chairman of Edo State Taskforce on IGR, John Osagie Inegbedion, disclosed this during the Q3 2024 EIRS Quarterly Performance Review (QPR) meeting in Benin City.
The growth, according to him, is on the back of nuanced reforms in revenue administration by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration, which has revolutionised the revenue collection process since assuming office in 2016.
Inegbedion stated that in 2016 when Obaseki took office, IGR collection stood at N23.64 billion, adding that with the government’s reforms in revenue administration, the state continued to witness consistent growth in its revenue, surpassing the year-to-date budgeted IGR of N55.64 billion to hit N67.29 billion in the third quarter of this year.
According to the chairman, with a monthly average of N7 billion, the state is projected to close the 2024 IGR collection year with N85 billion, and is expected to hit N120 billion in 2025.
However, the governor is to speak at George Washington University on the sidelines of the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings, leading conversations on developing requisite human capital to build the workforce of the future.
The session, tagged, ‘Nurturing Nigeria’s Future’, and organised by the Nigerian Professionals Network (NPN), followed similar conversations held in England.
Member of the Organising Committee, Olumide Lawal, said: “The focus is to convene influential members of the Nigerian Diaspora, development partners, and global thought leaders to explore actionable strategies for harnessing Diaspora resources to fuel impactful investments in Nigeria’s development.”
On the choice of Governor Obaseki, Lawal noted: “We are particularly excited to recognise your remarkable contributions to Edo State and Nigeria at large, making you a fitting speaker to share insights on Nigeria’s development trajectory.”
He added that the event would feature a fireside chat with the governor, “where we look forward to an engaging conversation, highlighting your work in fostering economic growth, innovation, and sustainable development.”
