By ENITAN ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA, mnipr
Delta State has recorded one of its most remarkable revenue turnarounds in recent years, growing its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from about ₦84 billion in 2023 to over ₦200 billion, as the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori administration intensifies efforts to build a resilient economy that is less dependent on crude oil.
The impressive performance came to the fore on Monday in Asaba when a high-powered delegation of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) paid a courtesy visit to the state to assess its progress in economic diversification and enhanced revenue generation.
Speaking during the engagement, the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sunny Ekedayen, declared that Delta was deliberately repositioning its economy through strategic investments in agriculture, industrialisation, innovation and other non-oil sectors capable of guaranteeing sustainable growth long after oil revenues decline.
According to him, the RMAFC assessment represents an important evaluation of the state’s readiness for a future beyond oil and the effectiveness of policies already introduced to diversify its economy.
Ekedayen disclosed that the dramatic increase in internally generated revenue was achieved without raising personal income tax rates, attributing the feat to the expansion of the tax net, improved tax administration, stronger compliance mechanisms and more effective revenue enforcement.
He said the achievement underscored the Oborevwori administration’s commitment to prudent fiscal management, transparency and sustainable revenue generation.
The commissioner explained that agriculture had become a major pillar of the state’s diversification agenda through innovative Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements under which government provides land while private investors contribute capital, machinery and technical expertise.
He noted that commercial cultivation of crops such as cassava and oil palm was already creating a win-win arrangement in which investors, government and host communities all share in the proceeds, thereby generating wealth, stimulating rural development and expanding export opportunities.
According to him, the success already recorded by private agricultural investors demonstrates that agriculture possesses enormous potential to become a dependable source of revenue capable of complementing, and eventually reducing, dependence on oil earnings.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Finance, Chief Fidelis Tilije, said the Oborevwori administration was laying the foundation for accelerated industrialisation through strategic investments in critical infrastructure, particularly energy.
He disclosed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had directed that the Kwale Industrial Park be fully energised ahead of its inauguration, revealing that prospective investors were already positioning themselves to commence operations once the facility becomes operational.
Tilije also identified the shallow navigation channel at the Forcados Port as one of the major obstacles limiting maritime activities in the state, but expressed optimism that closer collaboration between the Delta State and Federal Governments would fast-track the revitalisation of Warri Port and other maritime infrastructure to unlock greater trade, investment and economic opportunities.
Earlier, Chairman of the RMAFC Mobilisation and Diversification Committee, Mr. Victor Eboigbe, described overdependence on oil revenue as economically dangerous, warning that decades of reliance on crude oil had exposed governments at all levels to the uncertainties of the international energy market.
He stressed that diversification remains the only sustainable pathway to economic stability, improved government revenue and long-term prosperity.
Eboigbe said the assessment exercise aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to accelerate industrialisation, digitisation, manufacturing, agriculture, innovation and the creative economy as alternatives to oil dependence.
He explained that beyond monitoring revenue accruals and disbursements from the Federation Account, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission is constitutionally empowered to advise both federal and state governments on improving fiscal efficiency and expanding revenue sources.
According to him, the Commission’s nationwide advocacy for economic diversification dates back over two decades, including the organisation of national and zonal stakeholder engagements designed to encourage governments to broaden their revenue base.
He noted that the current assessment of Delta State serves both as a follow-up to those earlier initiatives and the implementation of a Presidential directive aimed at evaluating diversification efforts across the country.
Eboigbe commended Governor Oborevwori for embracing the exercise and expressed confidence that the calibre of leadership and policy direction in Delta State had positioned it favourably to build a robust and sustainable economy.
He disclosed that the RMAFC team had arrived with a comprehensive evaluation template and questionnaires already administered to relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, adding that consultations with stakeholders would continue in the coming days to assess ongoing programmes and identify areas requiring further improvement.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the Federal Commissioner representing Delta State in the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Hon. Aruviere Martins Egwarhevwa, Esq., said the visit formed part of the Commission’s routine oversight responsibility to assess how public resources are being utilised, particularly in relation to economic diversification.
He explained that the exercise was also intended to deepen collaboration between the Commission and relevant state ministries in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The RMAFC delegation applauded Delta State for what it described as impressive presentations on its economic transformation initiatives, while urging sustained collaboration to consolidate the gains already recorded.
The team expressed optimism that continued synergy between the Federal and Delta State Governments would further strengthen the state’s diversification agenda, expand revenue generation and accelerate inclusive economic development for the benefit of its people.