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ICAN inaugurates FIRS chapter, hails Adedeji’s leadership of tax agency FIRS has over 2,800 ICAN members out of 66,00 —ICAN president

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Zacch Adedeji @ 47: Celebrating a Man of Exceptional Grace, Excellence By Dare Adekanmbi Ecclesiastical evidence abounds to affirm that God does not look at people or issues through the same prism from which human beings perceive matters. As mortals, we give primacy to mundane parameters as appearance or outward adornments, height or whether the person is oozing opulence or simply look at nobility of a person’s birth before ascribing value or judgment to such a person. The story of David’s ascension to the throne of Israel summarises how God make His choices. Prophet Samuel beheld the firstborn of Jesse named Eliab and, looking at his outward qualities, concluded “here comes the Lord’s anointed king who will govern over Israel.” But just before that thought could settle in the prophet’s mind, God told him that is not the man for the job. The story of Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is the story of a young, wise and brilliant man who has enjoyed exceptional grace of God. His father (of blessed memory) was a cocoa farmer from the mainly agrarian Iwo Ate town, in Ogo Oluwa Local Government Area of Oyo State. His mother is a trader-cum-farmer. It was thanks to Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s matchless leadership and quality governance that the town at that time boasted some basic municipal amenities like school and a dispensary. I can imagine the joy on his father’s face when the news was broken to him that his wife was delivered of a bouncing bonny baby boy later christened Zacchaeus Adelabu Adedeji. While his father desired functional education for Zacch, the first child of the family, the greater joy for the cocoa farmer would be that the birth of Baby Zacch means an extra hand on the farm, heir apparent to the cocoa farming business. This perception perhaps prevented Zacch’s father from noticing the unique stars in the sky that heralded the arrival of a special child to the family, the humble background notwithstanding. The family did not realise they have been gifted a global talent whose brilliance and expertise will be acknowledged beyond the shores of Nigeria. While his father was looking at a child who will grow to become a helping hand on the farms, God was looking at a precious gift that will bring honour to the family name. Growing up for Zacch was not easy as there was no silver spoon in his mouth at birth. But with the grace of God upon his life, he was determined never to allow the circumstance of his birth dictate how far he could go in life. While going to school, he was also assisting his father in his cocoa farming. Zacch could not have chosen any other course in his post-secondary educational pursuit other than accountancy. He was his father’s book-keeper for the sale of cocoa produce. At the Federal Polytechnic in Ede, Osun State, where he studied Accountancy for his Ordinary National Diploma, Zacch came out flying with a distinction. Rather than return for his HND, he opted to further his studies at the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, where he read management and accounting and finished with First Class honours. He did not allow the death of his father at about the time he was starting at Ife to extinguish his hope of having functional university education. Zacch’s special talent as a brilliant accountant quickly singled out from the new recruits at P&G. He saved the company hundreds of millions of dollars in needless expenditure and deploys his financial wizardry to catapult the company’s profit to new heights. For this exceptional display, the company dispatched him to one of the best business schools in Switzerland to share his experience with them. This feat earned him a seat at the management cadre of the American goods company earlier than any young recruit by the firm. He rose to become the Corporate Finance Manager for West Africa. It was while making his mark at the firm that he met a great leader, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (of blessed memory), sometime in 2009. He was just attending to what he would ordinarily consider a routine payment query when they met. Ajimobi was happy to meet a young chap from Oyo State making waves at such a company. From that time, a journey of mentoring, love and support that would remain with Zacch for a lifetime started. It was a meeting that also changed his trajectory from the private sector to the public sector. Ajimobi appointed him Finance Commissioner for Oyo State at age 33. Notable among his achievements include: raising Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from about N600m monthly to about N2bn in a short period, blocking leakages by streamlining government bank accounts through which a lot of money was haemorrhaged from about 100 to about 10. As executive secretary of the National Sugar Development Council, Zacch left an indelible mark, raising standards and re-engineering processes to deliver better quality service and increased productivity. When tapped as Special Adviser on Revenue by President Bola Tinubu, a lot of people speculated he would ultimately head the country’s tax agency, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). As an evangelist in the Anglican Communion, Zacch believes in the scripture that the power of life and death is the tongue. As the one whose duty it was to interface with FIRS tax officers while at P&G, he had said during one of his frequent visits to the Agidingbi office of the agency that “someday, I would like to work in this organisation and contribute to its transformation.” Today, not only is Zacch the executive chairman of FIRS, he has brought unprecedented transformation to the agency within a short period. FIRS, under Zacch, surpassed tax revenue target in 2023, leading to a higher revenue benchmark of N19.4 trillion set by government for 2024. Later this month, Adedeji will announce to Nigerians what the agency was able to collect in the year just ended. The agency has done well again and has exceeded the target from available information. To all who know Zacch and have had interactions with him, one special attribute stands him out: his humility. He relates with the young and the old quite well and the big success that God has given him does not get into his head. Many people have spoken so glowingly about this character trait in Zacch. In 2017, he and I returned to Nigeria from a trip to the US. He had gone on holiday and I had gone to cover the annual meetings of the World Bank/IMF. We were to lodge at a popular hotel in Ikeja on arrival. After dinner, the receptionist said only one room was left. “Give it to us. Dare and I will share it,” said Zacch. That was how we slept on the same bed that night. If there are so many positive things to say about Zacch who is 47 years today, then the future holds even a brighter future for the number one tax man in the country today. Our boss believes in Simon Sinek’s submission that leadership is not just about being in charge, but also about taking care of those in your charge. I join admirers and well-wishers to wish ZA many more happy years of his trademark brilliance and wisdom. May God continue to strengthen him in good health. .Adekanmbi is the Special Adviser on Media to the chairman, FIRS, Zacch Adedeji.

ICAN inaugurates FIRS chapter, hails Adedeji’s leadership of tax agency
FIRS has over 2,800 ICAN members out of 66,00 —ICAN president

The President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Davidson Alaribe, on Tuesday, inaugurated a chapter of the body for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), charging officers of the chapter to continue to uphold high ethical standards associated with the profession.

Alaribe, while speaking at the ceremony in Abuja, said the significance of the chapter of ICAN at FIRS is founded on the tax agency being the largest employer of chartered accountants in the country.

A statement by Sikiru Akinola, Technical Assistant (Media) to the FIRS chairman, Zacch Adedeji quoted the ICAN president to have said that out of the 66, 000 chartered accountants in the country today, more than 2,800 are in FIRS, the largest by any government agency.

Alaribe commended the FIRS chairman, Zacch Adedeji, for leading the transformation of the agency that is now vital to the country’s economic development by making revenue available to the three tiers of government to finance major projects.

Assuring the FIRS chapter of constant support, he tasked the pioneer officers to actively engage members to establish a strong foundation for the chapter and also ensure the elevation of its profile.

The FIRS chairman, who was represented at the event by the Coordinating Director, Medium Taxpayers Group, Dr Dick Irri, charged the leaders of the ICAN chapter to continue to display high ethical standards in the discharge of their duties.

Adedeji, who is a Fellow of ICAN himself, said he gave the approval for the establishment of the unit as a result of the critical roles chartered accountants play for Nigeria, particularly at FIRS.

“ICAN is dear to me in many ways. Apart from being a fellow of ICAN, we have close to 3,000 ICAN members working in FIRS. I like to tell you that all your members have always upheld the core values of ICAN. They have set standards others are working to catch up with.

“This event is a great avenue to advocate the cause of accounting at FIRS. The quality of the people in the executives says it all. There is no denying the fact that ICAN members in FIRS are blazing the trail as we have the highest number of chartered accountants in Nigeria,” he said.

In her acceptance speech, the pioneer chairperson of the FIRS branch, Dr Josephine Onyia, thanked Adedeji and the management of FIRS for the support and endorsement of the new leaders.

“As members of a noble profession like ours, we are crucial in upholding financial integrity, fostering economic advancement and promoting trust within the business community.

“I am honoured to be the pioneer chairman of the ICAN-FIRS chapter which comprises many chartered accountants, who stand for these core values and contribute actively to the advancement of the accounting profession and revenue collection for national development,” she said.

She promised to foster a lifelong learning and professional development culture, ensuring members have access to the requisite resources and support necessary to excel in an ever-changing environment.

Other officers of the unit include Mrs Adenike Adegoke who is the Vice-Chairperson; Abdurauf Aderemi, General Secretary; Mrs Patricia Ofili, Treasurer; Mr Aduka Borr, Publicity Secretary and others.

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Adron Homes Unveils “Love for Love” Valentine Promo with Exciting Discounts, Luxury Gifts, and Travel Rewards

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Adron Homes Unveils “Love for Love” Valentine Promo with Exciting Discounts, Luxury Gifts, and Travel Rewards

Adron Homes Unveils “Love for Love” Valentine Promo with Exciting Discounts, Luxury Gifts, and Travel Rewards

In celebration of the season of love, Adron Homes and Properties has announced the launch of its special Valentine campaign, “Love for Love” Promo, a customer-centric initiative designed to reward Nigerians who choose to express love through smart, lasting real estate investments.

The Love for Love Promo offers clients attractive discounts, flexible payment options, and an array of exclusive gift items, reinforcing Adron Homes’ commitment to making property ownership both rewarding and accessible. The campaign runs throughout the Valentine season and applies to the company’s wide portfolio of estates and housing projects strategically located across Nigeria.

 

Adron Homes Unveils “Love for Love” Valentine Promo with Exciting Discounts, Luxury Gifts, and Travel Rewards

Speaking on the promo, the company’s Managing Director, Mrs Adenike Ajobo, stated that the initiative is aimed at encouraging individuals and families to move beyond conventional Valentine gifts by investing in assets that secure their future. According to the company, love is best demonstrated through stability, legacy, and long-term value—principles that real estate ownership represents.

Under the promo structure, clients who make a payment of ₦100,000 receive cake, chocolates, and a bottle of wine, while those who pay ₦200,000 are rewarded with a Love Hamper. Payments of ₦500,000 attract a Love Hamper plus cake, and clients who pay ₦1,000,000 enjoy a choice of a Samsung phone or a Love Hamper with cake.

The rewards become increasingly premium as commitment grows. Clients who pay ₦5,000,000 receive either an iPad or an all-expenses-paid romantic getaway for a couple at one of Nigeria’s finest hotels, which includes two nights’ accommodation, special treats, and a Love Hamper. A payment of ₦10,000,000 comes with a choice of a Samsung Z Fold 7, three nights at a top-tier resort in Nigeria, or a full solar power installation.

For high-value investors, the Love for Love Promo delivers exceptional lifestyle experiences. Clients who pay ₦30,000,000 on land are rewarded with a three-night couple’s trip to Doha, Qatar, or South Africa, while purchasers of any Adron Homes house valued at ₦50,000,000 receive a double-door refrigerator.

The promo covers Adron Homes’ estates located in Lagos, Shimawa, Sagamu, Atan–Ota, Papalanto, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Osun, Ekiti, Abuja, Nasarawa, and Niger States, offering clients the opportunity to invest in fast-growing, strategically positioned communities nationwide.

Adron Homes reiterated that beyond the incentives, the campaign underscores the company’s strong reputation for secure land titles, affordable pricing, strategic locations, and a proven legacy in real estate development.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, Adron Homes encourages Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to take advantage of the Love for Love Promo to enjoy exceptional value, exclusive rewards, and the opportunity to build a future rooted in love, security, and prosperity.

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Why Nigeria’s Banks Still on Shaky Ground with Big Profits, Weak Capital

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*Why Nigeria’s Banks Still on Shaky Ground with Big Profits, Weak Capital*

*BY BLAISE UDUNZE*

Despite the fragile 2024 economy grappling with inflation, currency volatility, and weak growth, Nigeria’s banking industry was widely portrayed as successful and strong amid triumphal headlines. The figures appeared to signal strength, resilience, and superior management as the Tier-1 banks such as Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GTBank, UBA, and First Bank of Nigeria, collectively reported profits approaching, and in some cases exceeding, N1 trillion. Surprisingly, a year later, these same banks touted as sound and solid are locked in a frenetic race to the capital markets, issuing rights offers and public placements back-to-back to meet the Central Bank of Nigeria’s N500 billion recapitalisation thresholds.

 

The contradiction is glaring. If Nigeria’s biggest banks are so profitable, why are they unable to internally fund their new capital requirements? Why have no fewer than 27 banks tapped the capital market in quick succession despite repeated assurances of balance-sheet robustness? And more fundamentally, what do these record profits actually say about the real health of the banking system?

 

The recapitalisation directive announced by the CBN in 2024 was ambitious by design. Banks with international licences were required to raise minimum capital to N500 billion by March 2026, while national and regional banks faced lower but still substantial thresholds ranging from N200 billion to N50 billion, respectively. Looking at the policy, it was sold as a modern reform meant to make banks stronger, more resilient in tough times, and better able to support major long-term economic development. In theory, strong banks should welcome such reforms. In practice, the scramble that followed has exposed uncomfortable truths about the structure of bank profitability in Nigeria.

 

At the heart of the inconsistency is a fundamental misunderstanding often encouraged by the banks themselves between profits and capital. Unknown to many, profitability, no matter how impressive, does not automatically translate into regulatory capital. Primarily, the CBN’s recapitalisation framework actually focuses on money paid in by shareholders when buying shares, fresh equity injected by investors over retained earnings or profits that exist mainly on paper.

 

This distinction matters because much of the profit surge recorded in 2024 and early 2025 was neither cash-generative nor sustainably repeatable. A significant portion of those headline banks’ profits reported actually came from foreign exchange revaluation gains following the sharp fall of the naira after exchange-rate unification. The industry witnessed that banks’ holding dollar-denominated assets their books showed bigger numbers as their balance sheets swell in naira terms, creating enormous paper profits without a corresponding improvement in underlying operational strength. These gains inflated income statements but did little to strengthen core capital, especially after the CBN barred banks from using FX revaluation gains for dividends or routine operations. In effect, banks looked richer without becoming stronger.

 

Beyond FX effects, Nigerian banks have increasingly relied on non-interest income fees, charges, and transaction levies to drive profitability. While this model is lucrative, it does not necessarily deepen financial intermediation or expand productive lending. High profits built on customer charges rather than loan growth offer limited support for long-term balance-sheet expansion. They also leave banks vulnerable when macroeconomic conditions shift, as is now happening.

Indeed, the recapitalisation exercise coincides with a turning point in the monetary cycle. The extraordinary conditions that supported bank earnings in 2024 and 2025 are beginning to unwind. Analysts now warn that Nigerian banks are approaching earnings reset, as net interest margins the backbone of traditional banking profitability, come under sustained pressure.

Renaissance Capital, in a January note, projects that major banks including Zenith, GTCO, Access Holdings, and UBA will struggle to deliver earnings growth in 2026 comparable to recent performance.

 

In a real sense, the CBN is expected to lower interest rates by 400 to 500 basis points because inflation is slowing down, and this means that banks will earn less on loans and government bonds, but they may not be able to quickly lower the interest they pay on deposits or other debts. The cash reserve requirements are still elevated, which does not earn interest; banks can’t easily increase or expand lending investments to make up for lower returns. The implications are significant. Net interest margin, the difference between what banks earn on loans and investments and what they pay on deposits, is poised to contract. Deposit competition is intensifying as lenders fight to shore up liquidity ahead of recapitalisation deadlines, pushing up funding costs. At the same time, yields on treasury bills and bonds, long a safe and lucrative haven for banks are expected to soften in a lower-rate environment. The result is a narrowing profit cushion just as banks are being asked to carry far larger equity bases.

 

Compounding this challenge is the fading of FX revaluation windfalls. With the naira relatively more stable in early 2026, the non-cash gains that once flattered bank earnings have largely evaporated. What remains is the less glamorous reality of core banking operations: credit risk management, cost efficiency, and genuine loan growth in a sluggish economy. In this new environment, maintaining headline profits will be far harder, even before accounting for the dilutive impact of recapitalisation.

 

That dilution is another underappreciated consequence of the capital rush. Massive share issuances mean that even if banks manage to sustain absolute profit levels, earnings per share and return on equity are likely to decline. Zenith, Access, UBA, and others are dramatically increasing their share counts. The same earnings pie is now being divided among many more shareholders, making individual returns leaner than during the pre-recapitalisation boom. For investors, the optics of strong profits may soon give way to the reality of weaker per-share performance.

Yet banks have pressed ahead, not only out of regulatory necessity but also strategic calculation.

 

During this period of recapitalization, investors are interested in the stock market with optimism, especially about bank shares, as banks are raising fresh capital, and this makes it easier to attract investments. This has become a season for the management teams to seize the moment to raise funds at relatively attractive valuations, strengthen ownership positions, and position themselves for post-recapitalisation dominance. In several cases, major shareholders and insiders have increased their stakes, as projected in the media, signalling confidence in long-term prospects even as near-term returns face pressure.

 

There is also a broader structural ambition at play. Well-capitalised banks can take on larger single obligor exposures, finance infrastructure projects, expand regionally, and compete more credibly with pan-African and global peers. From this perspective, recapitalisation is not merely about compliance but about reshaping the competitive hierarchy of Nigerian banking. What will be witnessed in the industry is that those who succeed will emerge larger, fewer, and more powerful. Those that fail will be forced into consolidation, retreat, or irrelevance.

 

For the wider economy, the outcome is ambiguous. Stronger banks with deeper capital buffers could improve systemic stability and enhance Nigeria’s ability to fund long-term development. The point is that while merging or consolidating banks may make them safer, it can also harm the market and the economy because it will reduce competition, let a few banks dominate, and encourage them to earn easy money from bonds and fees instead of funding real businesses. The truth be told, injecting more capital into the banks without complementary reforms in credit infrastructure, risk-sharing mechanisms, and fiscal discipline, isn’t enough as the aforementioned reforms are also needed.

 

The rush as exposed in this period, is that the moment Nigerian banks started raising new capital, the glaring reality behind their reported profits became clearer, that profits weren’t purely from good management, while the financial industry is not as sound and strong as its headline figures. The fact that trillion-naira profit banks must return repeatedly to shareholders for fresh capital is not a sign of excess strength, but of structural imbalance.

 

With the deadline for banks to raise new capital coming soon, by 31 March 2026, the focus has shifted from just raising N500 billion. N200 billion or N50 billion to think about the future shape and quality of Nigeria’s financial industry, or what it will actually look like afterward. Will recapitalisation mark a turning point toward deeper intermediation, lower dependence on speculative gains, and stronger support for economic growth? Or will it simply reset the numbers while leaving underlying incentives unchanged?

The answer will define the next chapter of Nigerian banking long after the capital market roadshows have ended and the profit headlines have faded.

 

 

Blaise, a journalist and PR professional, writes from Lagos and can be reached via: [email protected]

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Nigeria’s Golden Fiscal Hour: The 1979 Budget Surplus and What It Teaches Today

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Nigeria’s Golden Fiscal Hour: The 1979 Budget Surplus and What It Teaches Today.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

 

“How Nigeria’s Brief Macroeconomic Triumph Under the Second Republic Reveals Enduring Lessons for Fiscal Responsibility.”

 

In the annals of Nigeria’s economic history, one year stands out as an extraordinary testament to fiscal prudence, macroeconomic strength, and external competitiveness: 1979. In that year, the Federal Republic of Nigeria recorded a remarkable budget surplus of approximately N1.5 billion. To fully appreciate the historical weight of this achievement, consider that the naira was stronger than the U.S. dollar at the time, trading at roughly ₦0.596 to US $1, meaning Nigeria’s surplus was equivalent to about US $2.51 billion in 1979 terms. This was not merely a statistic; it was a powerful demonstration that Nigeria could, under the right conditions, balance its books, build reserves and exercise sovereign economic judgment, lessons that remain urgently relevant today.

Nigeria’s Golden Fiscal Hour: The 1979 Budget Surplus and What It Teaches Today.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

The Context: A Nation Riding the Oil Boom. The late 1970s were defined by an unprecedented oil windfall for Nigeria. Global oil prices surged in the wake of geopolitical shocks (notably the 1979 Iranian Revolution) which disrupted supply and drove crude prices upward. As a result, Nigeria’s oil revenues soared. Oil constituted the dominant share of the country’s export earnings, accounting for approximately 90-95% of total export earnings during this period. This influx underpinned rapid economic expansion and offered an exceptional opportunity for fiscal stability under civilian rule.

 

In fact, the International Monetary Fund reported that Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves jumped from about US $1.9 billion in 1978 to an estimated US $5.5 billion in 1979, demonstrating the scale of the macroeconomic turnaround.

 

Yet even against the backdrop of a booming oil sector, achieving a budget surplus (where government revenues exceed expenditures) was no small feat. Most developing countries, especially those heavily reliant on volatile commodity exports, rarely achieve such fiscal discipline. For Nigeria, whose public sector had expanded dramatically in the post-civil war era, maintaining balanced books spoke to prudent revenue management during an era of extraordinary windfalls.

 

1979: A Snapshot of Fiscal Triumph.

1. Strong Currency –

The naira’s strength in 1979 was more than symbolic. At a time when the Nigerian currency was stronger than the dollar (a feat nearly unimaginable today) it reflected healthy foreign exchange reserves, robust export receipts and confidence in external accounts. A strong currency made imports relatively affordable and kept external liabilities manageable, though it also posed challenges for export competitiveness in non-oil sectors.

 

2. Budgets Balanced –

Nigeria’s budget position in 1979 stands out against a historical backdrop of chronic fiscal deficits. According to research drawing on Central Bank of Nigeria and Budget Office data, budget surplus years in Nigeria have been rare, with 1979 among only a handful of years (including 1971, 1973, 1974, 1995, and 1996) over several decades where revenues exceeded expenditures.

 

3. Macroeconomic Stability –

This surplus was achieved without the crippling austerity that often accompanies fiscal discipline in other contexts. Instead, it coincided with a period of economic expansion, rising domestic consumption and relative external balance. The balance of payments turned positive and foreign reserves rebounded sharply, signalling sound external-sector performance.

 

Leadership and Policy: The Second Republic’s Role. In October 1979, Nigeria transitioned to civilian rule with the inauguration of President Shehu Shagari and the beginning of the Second Republic (1979–1983). This political change coincided with the fiscal surplus, but it was the continuity of prudent economic management, initially grounded in the policies of the preceding military regime, that made the surplus possible.

 

The civilian government inherited an economy with strong export earnings and ample reserves. Instead of squandering the moment, it entered into the fiscal year with a disciplined budget anchored in realistic revenue projections. It balanced the competing demands of development and fiscal responsibility with a rare diplomatic and policy achievement in any developing economy.

 

As noted by respected economists studying Nigeria’s fiscal history, “budget deficits have become a norm in Nigeria’s fiscal operations since the early 1970s, with very few exceptions and 1979 being one of them.” This underscores the exceptional nature of this year.

Why the Surplus Matters for Today.

1. A Benchmark for Fiscal Responsibility.

Today’s policymakers (whether in Nigeria or comparable resource-rich developing states) would do well to study how Nigeria managed its finances in 1979. The surplus was not a result of reckless spending or short-term boom for boom’s sake; it was the product of balanced budgeting, strategic revenue retention and external competitiveness.

 

2. Oil Dependence Is a Double-Edged Sword.

The 1979 surplus was heavily tied to the oil boom. Critics have long warned that reliance on a single commodity exposes economies to price swings and revenue volatility. Indeed, after 1980, the global oil market underwent downturns that contributed to fiscal deficits and even economic contraction in the early 1980s. Nigeria’s experience shows that fiscal surplus driven by a volatile commodity must be paired with diversification and prudent saving.

 

3. Institutionalizing Discipline.

One lesson often cited by economic historians is that the absence of strong institutional frameworks for revenue management and expenditure control leads to poor outcomes once boom conditions fade. In Nigeria’s case, the later 1980s saw structural adjustment programmes, external debt accumulation, currency depreciation and social strain though all consequences of weakening fiscal discipline post-surplus era.

 

A respected contemporary economist once said, “Fiscal prudence is not about cutting spending at all costs; it is about strategic investment in human capital, infrastructure and savings for future volatility.” In this sense, 1979 was not just a moment of accounting success but it was also a model of strategic fiscal governance.

The Human and Institutional Dimension. While macroeconomic statistics tell one part of the story, the human and institutional dimensions are equally crucial. In 1979, Nigeria benefited from:

 

Strong revenue inflows, especially from crude oil

 

A disciplined budget office that resisted profligate spending

 

Coordination between the executive and legislative branches on fiscal policy

 

These elements helped ensure that revenues were not dissipated on unproductive expenditure or unchecked public sector expansion. Instead, the surplus created headroom for reserves and debt management strategies that strengthened Nigeria’s external accounts.

 

By contrast, in later decades, poor fiscal planning, unchecked borrowing and weak oversight eroded Nigeria’s fiscal capacity, contributing to perennial deficits and growing debt burdens.

 

Where This Leaves Nigeria: Lessons from History. The 1979 Nigerian budget surplus (N1.5 billion at a time when the naira was stronger than the dollar) represents a moment of economic possibility that transcended its era. It demonstrated that oil wealth, when managed with discipline and foresight, can yield balanced budgets, strong external positions, and macroeconomic stability. It showed that an African economy could manage its resources wisely, even under the pressures of political transition.

As Nigeria faces the complexities of the 21st-century global economy, the story of 1979 should not be a footnote, it should be a guidepost. The fiscal discipline exhibited in that year remains one of the most compelling lessons in responsible governance and strategic economic planning.

 

Where others see nostalgia, prudent economists see a blueprint for sustainable fiscal policy. In an era of volatile commodity markets, rising public debt, and pressure for social spending, the legacy of 1979 challenges contemporary leaders to balance aspiration with accountability.

 

This is not merely economic history. It is an intellectual inheritance and a reminder that competent governance, rooted in facts and disciplined budgeting, can still chart a prosperous course for Nigeria’s future.

 

Nigeria’s Golden Fiscal Hour: The 1979 Budget Surplus and What It Teaches Today.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

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