Date: 2017-01-21

No fewer than 14 states earned higher Internally Generated Revenue (IGRs) in 2016,when dis-aggregated by states, despite economic recession, a report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has shown.

The states are Lagos, Ogun, Delta, Kano, Edo, and Kwara. Others are: Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Kogi, Plateau, Benue, Yobe, Kaduna and Zamfara.

According to a breakdown of figures contained in the Joint Tax Board/State Boards of Internal Revenue report 2016, most of the states raked in additional revenue through road taxes, Pay as You Earn (PAYE), direct Assessment, MDAs Revenue and other taxes.

The report showed that Adamawa had the highest 2016 IGR in the entire north east with N7, 586, 325,742.00bn as against the 2015 figure of N4, 451,736,117.84bn. Kaduna state also recorded a higher IGR in 2016 earning a total of N15, 497, 146,652.84bn as against the N11, 536,729,988.59bn in 2015.

Kwara state also witnessed increased revenue despite the national recession with N16, 458, 660, 456.68bn in 2016, as against N7, 178,922,182.76bn the previous year. Also, Kogi state in 2016 got N7, 728,015,286.78bn, higher than the IGR of N6, 728,015,286.78bn in 2015. Benue State raked in N8, 888, 314, 005.20bn IGR in 2016,whereas in 2015 it had just about N7, 631,789841.37bn.

Plateau State also enjoyed a boost in IGR in 2016 despite recession with N9, 090, 755,996.94bn as opposed to N6, 937, 349, 802.70bn recorded in 2015. Yobe State also had increased IGR in 2016 with N3.800, 220, 831.62bn,whereas in 2015 it got N2, 251,330,427.39bn.

Kano State had N34, 461, 259,121.44bn,while in 2015 it had a comparatively meager N13, 611, 853,935.85bn. Zamfara also got a bigger IGR with N4, 205,834,325.58bn in 2016 whereas in 2015,it only got N2, 741,632,541.03bn.

Akwa Ibom received higher IGR also in 2016 with N16, 591, 752,474.00bn as against the N14, 791,175,253.00bn in 2015,while Delta state received also a higher IGR in 2016 with N44, 893,109,728.74bn,but got N40, 893,109,728.74bn in 2015.

Edo, Lagos, and Ogun states had N20, 675,784, 964.30bn,N301, 192,153,744,and N301, 192,153,744 in 2016,as opposed to N19, 117,468,369.25bn, N268, 224,782,435 and N268, 224,782,435 earned by Edo, Lagos and Ogun respectively in 2015.

This is coming as the Budget and National Planning Minister, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, reassured Nigerians and the international community that the country will exit economic recession this year.

Giving the assurance in his office in Abuja yesterday when he received in audience, an eleven-man team of the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors led by its President, Mrs. Mercy Iortyer, who paid him a courtesy visit, Udoma emphasized that the 2017 budget was designed to get the country out of economic recession, and set the platform for economic growth in the coming years.

According to the minister, the thrust of the Federal Government's recovery plan is to diversify the economy, strengthen the agricultural production base and its value chain in order to achieve self sufficiency in food production, intensify infrastructural development, create the enabling environment for manufacturing, create jobs, stabilize and strengthen the value of the naira.

Udoma said government is prioritizing infrastructural development, which is evident in the 2017 budgetary allocations especially for road construction, airports rehabilitation, as well as power and rail infrastructure.

He noted that the collapse of oil price in the international market and disruption in Nigeria's crude production in the Niger Delta region led the country into recession.

Also, confident with the ongoing reform measures being packaged by government, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, yesterday, at a media house dialogue in Abuja, expressed optimism that very soon, Nigeria will come out from the recession.

Dogara equally assured Nigerians that the legislative arm of government is already aligning with government to achieve a robust economy for the nation.