Enugu State closed the 2025 fiscal year with a strong revenue performance, recording ₦406.8 billion in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), a figure that represents about 80 per cent of its ₦509.9 billion target for the year.
The achievement was disclosed in Enugu by the Chairman of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), Emmanuel Nnamani, during a briefing on the state’s revenue journey under the current administration.
Nnamani recalled that when Governor Peter Mbah announced the ambitious ₦509 billion revenue target for 2025 back in 2024, it was greeted with scepticism in many quarters. That doubt, he said, has now been answered with results. By the end of 2025, the state had generated exactly ₦406,774,321,758.87, translating to a remarkable 80 per cent attainment of the set goal.
The figures also reflect a dramatic leap from the previous year. In 2024, Enugu State recorded ₦180.5 billion in IGR. The 2025 outcome therefore represents a 125 per cent increase year-on-year, underscoring what Nnamani described as a sustained growth trajectory.
A closer look at the revenue mix shows that taxes paid directly by residents accounted for ₦51.5 billion, or just 12.6 per cent of the total IGR. The bulk of the revenue, ₦355.2 billion, representing 87.4 per cent, came from non-tax sources. Despite its smaller share, tax revenue itself rose significantly, growing from ₦30 billion in 2024 to ₦51.5 billion in 2025, a 72 per cent increase that outpaced the 31 per cent growth recorded the previous year.
Placing the numbers in historical context, Nnamani noted that before Governor Mbah assumed office in 2022, Enugu State’s total revenue stood at ₦26.8 billion, made up of ₦16.2 billion in tax revenue and ₦10.6 billion from non-tax sources. Upon taking office, the governor issued clear directives to aggressively expand revenue, particularly by unlocking non-tax opportunities across the state.
In 2023, the governor further mandated that routine expenses such as salaries, pensions, and overheads, must be funded strictly from IGR rather than federal allocations. That policy shift yielded ₦37.4 billion in tax revenue and ₦14.5 billion in non-tax revenue by the end of that year.
Momentum accelerated in 2024, when total revenue jumped to ₦180.5 billion, representing growth of over 370 per cent. Of that amount, ₦30 billion came from taxes, while non-tax sources contributed ₦150 billion. According to Nnamani, the performance of 2024 proved that the state’s revenue reforms were not only effective but also sustainable.
He added that funds generated from taxes have been channelled into visible development projects, including the construction of smart green schools, establishment of Type II primary healthcare centres, and the revitalisation of previously dormant public assets.
Looking ahead, Enugu State has set an even more ambitious IGR target of ₦870 billion for 2026. Nnamani acknowledged that tax revenue may temporarily soften due to the introduction of pro-citizen tax reforms, but expressed confidence that improved compliance and growing public trust in governance would support long-term revenue expansion.
With consistent policy direction and a widening revenue base, he said, Enugu State is positioning itself for sustained fiscal strength in the years ahead.
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