President Bola Tinubu has urged Sate Governors to put the welfare of Nigerians first by investing more in rural electrification, agricultural mechanisation, poverty eradication, and infrastructure development.
Speaking at the 150th National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja yesterday, President Tinubu made the call following a presentation on the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu.
The President called for greater collaboration between state and federal governments to drive inclusive economic growth, especially in rural communities. He also emphasised the need to embrace mechanised agriculture, tackle insecurity, and boost school enrolment through school-feeding initiatives.
President Tinubu directed the council to set up a committee to accelerate work on key national infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry Super Highways. He also ordered the transfer of the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation to the Presidency to fast-track project execution.
Meanwhile, the NEC endorsed the new ward-based development strategy, known as the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme. The initiative aims to boost double-digit economic growth through direct intervention across Nigeria’s 8,809 administrative wards. Anchored on Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the programme seeks to grow the economy to $1 trillion by 2030. It targets a minimum of 1,000 economically active individuals in smaller wards and 2,000 in larger ones.