Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, can’t pay salaries with IGR in 2025

By solacebase.com On Feb 26, 2025

Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, salaries , IGR — Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, can't pay salaries with IGR in 2025

By Aminu Abubakar

A review of the 2025 budget of select Northwestern States has shown that Kano, Zamfara, Jigawa would be unable to pay salaries in full if their internally generated revenue for the year were to be relied upon in the 2025 fiscal year.

According to the documents reviewed by SolaceBase, Kano State government budgeted the sum of N85.8 billion as internally generated revenue.

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Meanwhile, the budgeted amount for personnel expenditure stands at N150.9 billion.

Zamfara State budgeted an internally generated revenue of N32.8 billion. The state however plans to spend N58.3 billion for personnel costs.

Jigawa State on the other hand plans a personnel cost of N90.7 billion with an internally generated revenue estimate of N83.5 billion.

Katsina State’s budget for internally generated revenue stands at N64.4 billion while personnel cost stands at N67.1 billion.

This would mean that the state would be unable to cover personnel cost fully were it to rely on internally generated revenue alone.

The review shows that Kaduna state plans an internally generated revenue of N112 billion, while it budgeted personnel cost of N83.9 billion. This would mean that the state, if it meets its target for internally generated revenue can cover the personnel cost and hereby pay salaries for 2025.

‘Big’ Budgets, Low Actuals

SolaceBase review further shows that in terms of antecedents, states reviewed have a history of not fully meeting internally generated revenue targets.

For instance, Kano state planned N63 billion as internally generated revenue in 2024, between January to September of the year, it was able to generate only N28.9 billion, showing a 45% budget performance as of the third quarter of the 2024 fiscal year.

Katsina State budgeted N44 billion, however between January and September 2024, it only earned N29.9 billion.

Zamfara targeted to earn N32.7 billion, however, it only earned N18.4 billion as internally generated revenue between January and October 2024.

There have been concerns over the financial capacities of states in the country with lamenting paucity in revenue and inability to generate funds needed for fiscal prosperity in states.

The concerns have also been echoed by experts who believe that given the rate of unemployment in the country, the inability to meet current wage demands, may mean that the government may be unable to employ more citizens over time.

Experts have also argued that states must find ways of ensuring more revenue generation while cutting waste and ensuring transparency, and accountability.

Per the data published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the unemployment rate in Kano State stands at 25.4% while underemployment stands at 31.2%.

Katsina State unemployment was put at 25.3% while underemployment was quoted at 23.5%. Unemployment in Katsina was pegged at 13% with underemployment at 41.7%.

Sokoto unemployment was put at 14.5% while underemployment was estimated at 19.2%.