The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has said Nigeria must reduce its dependence on borrowing and build a stronger, more reliable domestic revenue base if it is to stabilise its finances and fund development sustainably.

Edun spoke on Tuesday at the management retreat of the Nigerian Revenue Service in Abuja, where he warned that the global financial environment had become increasingly hostile to developing economies, making debt-driven financing more costly and less viable.

“And of course, we need to reduce our dependence on debt. And so, revenue mobilisation within this context is a developmental imperative,” Edun said.

He said the world was retreating from multilateral cooperation, with countries prioritising domestic interests and scaling back cross-border financial support.

According to him, this shift had left poorer and developing countries facing an unfavourable balance between what they receive from abroad and what they pay out in debt service.

Edun said available data for 2024 showed that developing countries paid about $163bn in debt service, compared with $42bn in overseas development assistance and $97bn in foreign direct investment, underlining the extent to which external funding flows had turned negative.

He said this reality meant Nigeria had to anchor its fiscal sustainability on its own revenue-generating capacity, rather than continuing to rely on borrowing in an era of high global interest rates and tighter financial conditions.

“The primary anchor of our fiscal sustainability… is going to be our own fiscal efforts, our own ability to generate savings, which then can be used for investment,” Edun said. “And before you can generate savings, you have to have the revenue.”

The minister linked Nigeria’s rising debt pressures to a series of global shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts and trade tensions, which have forced many developing countries to borrow more while paying higher debt service.

He said these pressures had squeezed fiscal space and made it more difficult for governments to fund essential services, further reinforcing the need for sustainable domestic revenue.

“That is why it is critical at this time that we move to an era of sustainable revenues so that we can invest meaningfully in infrastructure, strengthen education and healthcare, and help the poorest and the most vulnerable,” Edun said.

Edun’s call for Nigeria to rein in borrowing comes amid remarks by the Senate indicating that fresh loans remain inevitable to plug the country’s large budget deficit.

At a public hearing on the 2026 Appropriation Bill, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Olamilekan Adeola, said continued borrowing had become unavoidable, given weak revenue inflows and Nigeria’s large infrastructure and development gaps.

Adeola said that despite sustained public opposition to new loans, the scale of the country’s funding needs left the government with limited alternatives, arguing that the central concern should not be borrowing itself, but the structure and sustainability of deficit financing.

“Nigeria cannot help but keep borrowing because revenue inflows are unpredictable and development needs are enormous. What matters is how we borrow and how we fund our deficits,’’ Adeola said.

Edun further described Nigeria’s tax reforms as a central pillar of this shift away from debt, saying they were designed to improve fairness, equity and efficiency in the system while increasing resources available for social and capital spending.

However, Edun stressed that policy reforms alone would not be sufficient without strong execution and improved compliance, noting that enforcement by itself could not deliver lasting results.

“No fiscal reform can deliver results if compliance is weak or uneven,” he said. “Yet compliance cannot be achieved through enforcement alone. It is carrot and stick.”

According to him, trust in the tax system was essential to improving compliance and reducing reliance on debt, as citizens needed to understand their obligations, see fairness in administration and observe tangible benefits from their contributions.

“People must see the benefits of their contributions in infrastructure and in services,” he said, adding that revenue reform was both a technical and governance challenge.

Edun said the Nigerian Revenue Service sat at the centre of the fiscal reform agenda and would play an indispensable role in translating policy intent into real-world outcomes.

He said the success of the reforms should ultimately be measured by higher, more predictable revenues, reduced fiscal vulnerability, and stronger public service delivery.

“The connection between macroeconomic conditions and revenue performance is direct and unavoidable,” he said. “Economic growth expands the tax base. Exchange rate dynamics affect customs revenue. Inflation influences compliance behaviour and affects the real value of collections.”

He warned that Nigeria must build a revenue system that was resilient to volatility and less cyclical, rather than one that rises sharply when oil prices are high and weakens when prices fall.

Speaking earlier, the Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, said the establishment of the NRS marked a decisive break from the past and placed a heavy responsibility on the new institution to deliver on Nigeria’s fiscal reform objectives.

Adedeji said the transition represented a new era that demanded a different approach to leadership, accountability and execution, warning that legacy habits and assumptions could undermine reform if left unchallenged.

He said leadership, rather than structure or technology alone, would determine whether the new institution succeeded, stressing that internal beliefs and behaviours often shaped outcomes more than formal strategies.

“What brought us here will not be sufficient for where we are going,” Adedeji said, urging senior managers to examine how their leadership styles, assumptions and decision-making processes could either unlock or constrain performance.

He said the credibility of Nigeria’s revenue architecture and confidence in the wider economy now rested on the NRS’s ability to deliver results with integrity, discipline and clarity of purpose.

According to Adedeji, the service would not be judged by speeches or reform documents, but by measurable outcomes that strengthened public trust and supported national development.

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The Corporate Affairs Commission has disclosed that it now processes close to 10,000 business registration requests daily, a dramatic leap from the “few hundreds” recorded in its early years, following the full deployment of artificial intelligence across its service platforms.

The commission, however, admitted that the transition to an AI-driven portal caused disruptions and temporary setbacks in productivity and service delivery in 2025.

The Registrar-General of the commission, Hussaini Magaji, made this known on Monday in Abuja at the opening ceremony of CAC’s 35th anniversary celebration, where he described the milestone as a defining moment in Nigeria’s economic formalisation drive.

The event, themed “Upholding Public Trust through Excellent Service Delivery,” was held to celebrate the commission’s resilience, teamwork, and institutional evolution since its establishment in 1991.

The commission was established by the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990 to replace the inefficient Company Registry.

As an autonomous body, it handles the incorporation and regulation of companies, business names, and incorporated trustees. It was modernised by CAMA 2020.

Speaking in his address, Magaji said CAC’s operations have since evolved into a fully digital, end-to-end registry, accessible across Nigeria and globally on a 24-hour, seven-day basis.

“When the Corporate Affairs Commission was established in 1991, our story began humbly, but with a bold mandate. At the time, CAC operated from a single office in Area 11, Garki, Abuja, serving the entire nation.”

He recalled that business owners and associations were then forced to travel from across the country to Abuja to register entities, as processes were entirely manual and records were paper-based.

“Service delivery was limited by geography and time. Yet, that single office laid the foundation for what has become one of Africa’s most dynamic and reform-driven corporate registries. Fast-forward to 2026, and our services are no longer confined to one location,” he said. “This is our evolution: from paper to portal, from queues to clicks, from stress to seamless, from one office to the world.”

He attributed the surge in registration volumes to tax reforms, government policies promoting the formalisation of informal businesses, and the rapid growth of digital and social media-driven enterprises.

“To put this into perspective, CAC now receives close to 10,000 business registration requests daily, compared to only hundreds in the past,” Magaji said. “In addition, our complaint management system, through emails and call centres, now handles an average of 5,000 inquiries every single day.”

He argued that such volumes would be impossible to manage manually. “Imagine the number of staff required to manage this volume. Only AI can effectively complement human capacity with the required speed, accuracy, and precision,” he added.

He, however, acknowledged that the year was particularly challenging due to the transition, noting that transformational change often comes with initial difficulties.

“I must acknowledge, however, that 2025 was particularly challenging. The transition to an AI-driven portal came with disruptions and temporary setbacks in productivity and service delivery in some areas. Transformational change is never easy. Nevertheless, I sincerely appreciate our stakeholders and customers for their patience, understanding, and confidence that the desired outcomes will emerge.

“As I have consistently assured you, I will not relent until the CAC delivers services that rank among the best in the world. Indeed, nothing truly good comes easy. Today is not merely a celebration of time; it is a celebration of purpose, resilience, transformation, and national impact,” Magaji said.

Magaji described the commission’s AI transition as inevitable, stressing that CAC had already become a global reference point in name reservation and business name registration, with turnaround times of as little as 10 minutes.

“Let me state clearly: the deployment of AI at CAC is not optional; it is necessary. Nevertheless, I sincerely appreciate our stakeholders and customers for their patience, understanding, and confidence that the desired outcomes would emerge.”

To deepen its digital transformation, Magaji announced the signing of a Letter of Collaboration between CAC and Google, describing it as a strategic partnership to strengthen service delivery. “Google brings global expertise and technological support that will further strengthen our systems, enhance portal performance, and deepen the ease of doing business in Nigeria,” he said.

He also unveiled a redesigned CAC website (www.cac.gov.ng) featuring new AI-powered tools, including an AI Lawyer, which provides instant responses on CAC laws and procedures, and an AI Name Generator, which allows users to generate and reserve scalable business names with ease.

As part of its anniversary initiatives, the commission approved free business name registration for 3,500 small businesses across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Other initiatives include scholarships for the six best corporate law students from each campus of the Nigerian Law School in 2026, donation of 120 mattresses to an IDP camp, support for orphanages, and a 25 per cent commemorative staff bonus. Special car and housing loan schemes were also announced for staff, alongside board-recommended promotions for pioneers and retiring officers.

“As we celebrate the past, we are even more inspired by the future, one driven by technology, efficiency, transparency, and global standards.

“In the spirit of this celebration, the management of CAC has approved the following initiatives: free business name registration for 3,500 small businesses, to be distributed across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory; scholarships for six best corporate law students from each of the six campuses of the Nigerian Law School for the year 2026, in support of corporate law studies; donation of 120 mattresses to an IDP camp; and support for orphanages as part of our social responsibility.

“Equally, in recognition of our resilient staff who have driven these reforms, and in line with our Conditions of Service, particularly Paragraph 6.02, I am pleased to announce a commemorative staff bonus of 25 per cent of one month’s gross salary, applicable for this month only. Special car loan and special housing loan.

“Finally, to our pioneers and retiring staff who could not make it in the current promotion exercise, the Management has recommended their promotion to our Board in line with our Conditions of Service,” he concluded.

Delivering a goodwill message, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce, Ahmed Munir, said the commission’s digital transformation had simplified the process of business registration and empowered millions of entrepreneurs to transition from the informal to the formal economy.

According to him, CAC’s reforms have strengthened Nigeria’s structured economy by easing the journey from business ideas to fully registered corporations. He urged stakeholders to work together to ensure that no Nigerian entrepreneur is hindered by regulatory barriers but supported by an efficient and ambitious system.

“Embrace the digital frontier by simplifying the path from idea to corporation. You have empowered millions of entrepreneurs to move from the informal sector into the structured economy.

“I see a future where ECOWAS shall be freely integrated with a West Africa Corporate Affairs Commission headquartered in Nigeria, backed by an ECOWAS stock market to expand capital within ECOWAS communities, becoming a major player in the technical community and the global market square. Our committee remains committed to providing legislative support, as necessary, to further enhance your digital infrastructure and transparency.

“We view the CAC not just with recognition, but with responsibility. As we look to the future, let us remember that every certificate issued is more than just paper. Let us work with vigour to ensure that no Nigerian entrepreneur is held back by regulation, but is instead propelled by a system that is as fair and ambitious as they are. Together, we are not just registering companies; we are igniting the engine of the giant of Africa. Congratulations to the men and women of staff; onward to greater heights,” he said.

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Abdullahi, pledged technical backing for CAC’s AI reforms. “We are in the era of artificial intelligence, and the only way to transform institutions today is to embrace and integrate AI into operations,” Abdullahi said, assuring the commission of support in deploying ethical and responsible AI solutions.

Established in 1991, the Corporate Affairs Commission is Nigeria’s statutory body for the registration and regulation of companies, business names, and incorporated trustees. Its reforms are central to the Federal Government’s drive to improve Nigeria’s ease-of-doing-business ranking, expand the tax base, and formalise micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises.

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The Federal Government has ruled out a blanket suspension of mining activities across Northern Nigeria, despite calls by northern governors and traditional leaders for a six-month halt as part of efforts to curb insecurity in the region.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this in an exclusive interaction with The PUNCH on Monday in Abuja, stressing that a total shutdown of mining operations would have grave economic consequences for both the North and the country at large.

The minister’s position was conveyed through his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, who said the Federal Government had carefully weighed the security concerns against the economic realities of ongoing mining and mineral processing activities across the region.

He said, “The position of the Federal Government remains that there can’t be a blanket suspension of mining activities across the North because it will have far more adverse economic implications for the region and the nation.”

Alake added that several strategic industrial facilities rely directly on mining operations in the North.

“We have lithium plants that are operational in Nasarawa and the outskirts of Abuja; an iron processing plant in Kaduna, and a host of other mining activities that will be affected by a blanket ban. Even the cement factory in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, depends on mining of limestone,” Tomori said.

He added that following engagements with the Federal Government, northern governors had begun to reconsider their earlier advice on a total ban.

“So, based on these facts, I believe the northern governors have reconsidered their advisory on a blanket ban based on our engagement with them,” he said.

Instead of a wholesale suspension, the minister said the Federal Government was pursuing a targeted security approach aimed at flushing out criminal elements operating around mining sites.

According to him, this strategy is already being implemented through a multi-agency security operation coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, covering parts of the North-West, North-East and North-Central.

“What can work is to map out areas that are severely affected by bandit activities and rout the non-state actors. That is already being done through a multi-agency security operation coordinated by the NSA across the North-west, North-east and parts of the North-Central,” he said.

Tomori stressed that legitimate mining activities should not be punished for the actions of illegal operators.

He noted that consultations with state governments were ongoing, revealing that the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, met with the minister in January as part of the engagement process.

“There is no consideration for blanket suspension of all mining activities in the north. However, we are engaging with the Governors on how best to tackle the menace of insecurity fueled by illegal mining in some areas. The Nasarawa state Governor, Abdullahi Sule, met with the minister sometime in January as part of the consultations,” he said.

Responding categorically to demands by northern governors for a comprehensive audit and revalidation of mining licences, the minister confirmed that such a process was already being planned.

“We announced sometime last year that an audit of the entire sector is in the offing. Details are being worked out and are being kept under wraps until we are ready to announce its implementation,” he said.

To strengthen enforcement, the minister disclosed that the Federal Government was fast-tracking the deployment of satellite surveillance to monitor mining sites nationwide.

“We are fast-tracking the process for the installation of satellite surveillance of mining sites, among other measures, to bolster the capacity of the mining marshals for more effectiveness,” Tomori said.

He added that the Federal Government was working with international partners to improve security outcomes.

“The Federal Government will continue to do its best alongside its allies to ensure the security of the North and indeed the entire country. We can see improved security operations in hotbeds and recent collaboration with the US military in that regard,” he said.

In December 2025, the Northern Governors’ Forum, alongside other influential leaders, urged the Federal Government to suspend mining activities in the region for six months, arguing that illegal mining had become a major source of funding for banditry and other criminal activities.

This was contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.

The call followed multiple school raids, violent attacks and kidnappings across mining communities, particularly in parts of Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna and Katsina states.

On November 17, 2025, armed men attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting 24 schoolgirls. The school’s vice-principal was killed during the attack. The students were freed a few days later.

Four days later, on November 21, gunmen invaded St. Mary’s Catholic School in the Papiri community, Agwara LGA of Niger State, abducting hundreds of pupils and staff.

Church and local officials later confirmed that 303 students and 12 teachers were taken away.

The escalating attacks prompted several states to order the temporary closure of schools in Kebbi, Bauchi, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, Niger, Katsina and Kwara states.

As a corrective measure, they asked President Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to suspend mining activities to allow for a full audit and revalidation of licences.

Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, however, has been identified by the Federal Government as a key pillar of its economic diversification drive, with significant investments in lithium, iron ore, limestone and gold expected to generate jobs, boost exports and grow non-oil revenue.

The government’s refusal to impose a blanket ban reflects a balancing act between security imperatives and economic survival, as authorities seek to clamp down on illegal mining without shutting down legitimate operations critical to regional development.

Meanwhile, Jigawa State is still waiting for the Federal Government’s response to the Northern Governors’ Forum’s demand to suspend mining activities in the region for six months to tackle insecurity.

Chief Press Secretary to the Jigawa State Governor, Comrade Hamisu Gumel, in an exclusive interview with one of our correspondents, the state government is concerned about the security implications of illegal mining, but hasn’t received any official communication from the Federal Government on the suspension.

“We are aware of the Northern Governors’ Forum’s demand, but we are yet to receive any official response from the Federal Government,” Gumel told our Correspondent.

Gumel added that Jigawa State had no records of cases related to illegal mining and insecurity, but the state government is committed to supporting efforts to address the issue.

“The Northern Governors’ Forum had requested the suspension of mining activities to allow for an audit and revalidation of licenses, citing concerns over the role of illegal mining in fuelling insecurity in the region,” he remarked.

According to him, the forum has also announced plans to establish a Security Trust Fund, with each state contributing N1bn monthly, to support joint security operations and intelligence-driven interventions.

However, Gumel, who said he’s not authorised to speak on behalf of the Northwest governor’s forum, explained that it is unclear how many states have contributed to the fund so far.

Gumel said the Jigawa State government is committed to working with the Federal Government and other stakeholders to address insecurity and promote economic development.

“The state government has been working to strengthen security measures and promote community engagement to prevent the spread of insecurity,” he concluded.

Similarly, the call by the Northern States Governors’ Forum for a six-month suspension of mining activities across northern Nigeria as part of measures to curb insecurity is yet to be fully implemented in Kwara State.

Findings show that while the initiative has been discussed at the policy level, contributions from individual states and full operational rollout remain at early stages, with no confirmed participation reported in Kwara as of the latest state security briefings.

Security analysts warn that the delay in implementing both the mining suspension and the regional trust fund may be prolonging vulnerabilities in mineral-rich rural communities, particularly in parts of North-Central Nigeria where illegal mining camps operate within remote forest corridors.

Coordinator of the Kwara Sustainable Development Advocacy Forum, Musa Idris Buko, said the group had raised concerns in 2024 about the possible security implications of unregulated mining activities in Kwara North.

“We raised the alarm and called on the Federal Government to prioritise the development of the mining sector in Kwara in line with global best practices,” he said.

“If illegal mining in Kwara North is allowed to thrive, it will affect food security and agricultural production. What we are witnessing today shows the dangers of ignoring early warnings.”

Some community stakeholders have also suggested that recurring attacks in remote areas may indirectly create conditions that force residents to abandon mineral-rich communities, allowing illegal mining networks to operate with limited resistance, a trend observers say has been recorded in several conflict-affected zones across northern Nigeria.

As security operations intensify across affected states, policy experts are urging the Federal Government and northern governors to clarify the status of the proposed mining suspension, accelerate the launch of the regional security trust fund and strengthen regulatory oversight of mining activities to prevent criminal groups from exploiting the sector.

However, the Bauchi State Government has confirmed suspension of mining activities in parts of the state as part of measures to address recurring insecurity.

Responding to enquiries from The PUNCH, the Special Assistant to the Governor, Khalifa Rishi, said the suspension was implemented in Alkaleri Local Government Area, which has witnessed repeated security challenges.

According to him, the decision was taken following incidents of insecurity linked to mining activities in the area.

“The suspension was implemented in the Alkaleri Local Government Area. It is because of the recurrent insecurity we recorded in the area,” Rishi said.

He noted that since the suspension of mining operations, there has been a significant improvement in the security situation in the affected communities.

Rishi, however, declined to comment on the status of the proposed security trust fund being planned by the Northern Governors’ Forum.

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