The 36 state governors on Thursday expressed excitement over the proactive development of a State Police Framework by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Secretariat, in anticipation of proposed constitutional amendments.
According to the communiqué issued at the end of the Forum’s first meeting in 2026, made available to the Nigerian Tribune, the framework outlines key readiness requirements, including governance structures, financing models, human capital standards, digital systems and oversight mechanisms.
Speaking further on the outcome of the closed-door meeting, which lasted for about three hours, NGF Chairman, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who spoke through Governor Babatunde Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, disclosed that the Forum interfaced with the newly appointed Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, on the need for timely resolution of outstanding fiscal matters, which remain critical to subnational planning and budgetary stability.
The governors also tasked the minister on reforms to broaden the taxpayer base, improve compliance and ease the burden on basic consumption, while reaffirming their commitment to working in close partnership with him to advance shared fiscal objectives in the interest of all Nigerians.
He said: “We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), at our meeting held today, deliberated on issues affecting the country. The Forum warmly congratulated the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, on his appointment and received a comprehensive briefing on current fiscal developments.
“The briefing covered trends in FAAC revenues, ongoing tax reforms and the broader effort to strengthen revenue mobilisation across all tiers of government.
“Governors underscored the imperative of restoring confidence in fiscal management systems and called for the timely resolution of outstanding fiscal matters, which remain critical to subnational planning and budgetary stability.
“The Forum also discussed reforms to broaden the taxpayer base, improve compliance and ease the burden on basic consumption.
“Governors reaffirmed their commitment to working in close partnership with the Honourable Minister to advance shared fiscal objectives in the interest of all Nigerians,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
In the same vein, the governors interfaced with the Minister of Education, Professor Tunji Alausa, on the priorities shaping the Federal Government’s education agenda.
According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, key areas addressed included the proposed transition to a 12-year continuous basic education framework, progress recorded on the Digital National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) platform, and the urgent need to expand junior and senior secondary school infrastructure to keep pace with growing enrolment.
“Governors reaffirmed their collective commitment to working in close partnership with the federal government to advance the shared objectives discussed, including expanding access to quality education and ensuring that resources reach the communities that need them most.”
During the meeting, the Forum approved the establishment of the NGF Academy and Leadership Centre as a new directorate within the Secretariat, designed as a flagship platform for subnational leadership development.
According to him, the proposed academy will integrate executive capacity building, applied research, governance advisory and peer learning to support all 36 states.
“Governors welcomed progress towards its operationalisation and reaffirmed their support for the initiative as a strategic resource for strengthening governance across the federation.
“The Forum noted progress on the NGF States Agribusiness Investment Programme (SAIP) – Rice Helpdesk, supported by the Gates Foundation, aimed at strengthening state capacity to drive improvements in rice production and value chain development.
“Governors acknowledged the importance of addressing sector-wide institutional, market and financing constraints and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting implementation at the state level to deliver measurable outcomes in food security and agricultural productivity,” he noted.
