The 36 state governors under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have rejected allegations that state governments have failed to properly account for funds received following the removal of fuel subsidy.
The governors maintained that accusations suggesting that sub-national governments had mismanaged or failed to account for subsidy-removal proceeds were unfounded.
The position was disclosed after the governors held their third meeting at the NGF Secretariat in Abuja, which extended from Wednesday night into the early hours of Thursday.
Speaking after the meeting, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, who presented the communique on behalf of NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, dismissed the suggestion that state governments should be held responsible for a lack of accountability over the funds.
When asked whether the Forum accepted responsibility for alleged poor accountability by sub-national governments, Diri said, “That cannot be true. That cannot be true. But we’ll leave that debate for another day.”
The governors also expressed support for the proposed National Affordable CNG Transit Programme (NACTP), saying the initiative could significantly reduce transportation costs for Nigerians.
According to the NGF, the programme is designed to support the conversion of vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG), expand CNG-powered fleets and provide other infrastructure needed to lower passenger fares.
Diri said the governors recognised the potential of the initiative to ease transportation costs, noting that rising transport expenses had contributed significantly to inflation in the country.
He said the governors had agreed on the need to further examine the financing and implementation framework of the programme.
The Bayelsa governor also disclosed that the states would collaborate with the private sector to increase the number of CNG-powered vehicles operating across the country.
He explained that the relatively lower cost of gas compared with petrol could help bring down transportation expenses and create a positive impact across other sectors of the economy.
“The impact is expected to be on our people, the common man,” Diri said.
The governors further received a briefing from the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, on opportunities for states to participate in CANEX Weekend 2026 and the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2027, both scheduled to take place in Lagos.
Diri said the governors expressed their collective commitment to participating in the events, describing them as platforms capable of showcasing investment-ready projects, promoting local exports and tourism, and connecting state-based micro, small and medium enterprises with investors and buyers from Africa and beyond.
The NGF subsequently assured the minister of its support toward achieving the objectives of the trade and investment initiatives.
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