By Shindong Bala, Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government says it is servicing debts of more than N7 billion monthly, a burden that has made the state reluctant to take on additional loans.
The State Commissioner for Finance, Mallam Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, disclosed this at a town hall engagement on the 2025 Citizens Accountability Report organised by the Ministry of Finance in Kaduna.
The commissioner said the state’s borrowing level had reached a critical point, noting that Kaduna was currently among the most indebted states in Nigeria.
He explained that borrowing was only necessary when a government had the capacity to repay, stressing that the state would instead focus on internally generated revenue, federal allocations, grants and other sources of funding to finance development.
According to him, the state’s monthly debt repayment of over N7 billion constitutes a significant burden that could otherwise be channelled into infrastructure and other development projects.
Mallam Ibrahim said the government had therefore adopted a cautious approach to borrowing, adding that Governor Uba Sani was making efforts to explore alternative sources of funding while ensuring that available resources were used judiciously.
The commissioner also assured residents that the state government was committed to prompt payment of approved obligations, saying payments approved by the governor were expected to be processed within 24 hours.
He said the 2025 Citizens Accountability Report was designed to give residents a clear picture of the state’s financial performance, including revenue generation, expenditure and implementation of the approved budget.
The report showed that Kaduna State recorded total revenue of N511 billion in 2025, representing 65 percent of the final approved budget of N790.4 billion.
The revenue comprised an opening balance of N137.2 billion, Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocation of N271.24 billion, internally generated revenue of N86.7 billion, grants and aids of N14.9 billion and other receipts of about N875.9 million.
The state also recorded total expenditure of N510.9 billion, representing 65 percent of the approved budget.
Of the expenditure, N303.9 billion was spent on capital projects, representing 59 percent performance against the N514.5 billion capital expenditure provision.
Personnel expenditure stood at N77.6 billion, representing 91 percent of the approved N84.9 billion, while public debt charges amounted to N62.8 billion against the N72.2 billion budgeted.
Other recurrent expenditure, including overheads, stood at N66.4 billion, representing 56 percent of the N118.6 billion approved allocation.
The report indicated that government expenditure was prioritised in key sectors, including road construction, education and health, as well as the completion of ongoing projects aimed at promoting socio-economic development across the state.
Presenting an overview of the report, Executive Director of Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation, Mr. Yusuf Ishaku Goje, described the Citizens Accountability Report as a tool for making government financial information accessible to citizens.
He said the report, based on the audited financial statements for the 2025 financial year, provides information on the state’s budget revenue, expenditure and overall financial performance to promote transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
Edited by Shafii Abubakar Wababe
