NGF unveils leadership academy, backs FG fiscal, education, security reforms 

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum has unveiled a new Leadership Academy and expressed support for ongoing fiscal and education reforms to strengthen governance, improve revenue mobilisation, and expand access to quality education nationwide.

At its first 2026 meeting in Abuja, which ran from Wednesday into early Thursday, the governors received presentations from the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, and the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, on tax reforms, revenue performance, and plans to expand basic and secondary education infrastructure.

In a communiqué signed by its Chairman, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, the Forum reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with the Federal Government to effectively implement policies that strengthen state capacity and improve service delivery.

The communique partly read, “The Forum warmly congratulated the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, on his appointment and received a comprehensive briefing on current fiscal developments.

“The briefing covered trends in FAAC revenues, ongoing tax reforms, and the broader effort to strengthen revenue mobilisation across all tiers of government. Governors underscored the imperative of restoring confidence in fiscal management systems and called for the timely resolution of outstanding fiscal matters, which remain critical to subnational planning and budgetary stability.

“The Forum also discussed reforms to broaden the taxpayer base, improve compliance, and ease the burden on basic consumption. Governors reaffirmed their commitment to working in close partnership with the Honourable Minister to advance shared fiscal objectives in the interest of all Nigerians.

“The Forum received a presentation from the Honourable Minister of Education, Professor Tunji Alausa, on the priorities shaping the Federal Government’s education agenda. Key areas addressed included the proposed transition to a 12-year continuous basic education framework, the progress recorded on the Digital National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) platform, and the urgent need to expand Junior and Senior Secondary School infrastructure to keep pace with growing enrolment.

“Governors reaffirmed their collective commitment to work ing in close partnership with the Federal Government to advance the shared objectives discussed, including expanding access to quality education and ensuring that resources reach the communities that need them most.”

The Governors said the Leadership Academy will be established as a new Directorate within the Secretariat to serve as a flagship platform for subnational leadership development.

The communique added, “Academy will integrate executive capacity building, applied research, governance advisory, and peer learning to support all 36 states. Governors welcomed progress towards its operationalisation and reaffirmed their support for the initiative as a strategic resource for strengthening governance across the federation.

“The Forum noted progress on the NGF States Agribusiness Investment Programme Rice Helpdesk, supported by the Gates Foundation, aimed at strengthening state capacity to drive improvements in rice production and value chain development.

“Governors acknowledged the importance of addressing sector-wide institutional, market, and financing constraints and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting implementation at the state level to deliver measurable outcomes in food security and agricultural productivity.

“The Forum noted the Secretariat’s proactive development of a State Police Framework in anticipation of proposed constitutional amendments. The Framework outlines key readiness requirements, including governance structures, financing models, human capital standards, digital systems, and oversight mechanisms.”

NGF serves as a key platform for coordination among state governors on governance, fiscal policy, education, and security, with increased focus in recent times on strengthening state capacity to address economic pressures and improve service delivery.

It has also continued to collaborate with the Federal Government on key reforms in taxation, education, and agriculture, while the introduction of a Leadership Academy underscores its commitment to building institutional capacity and enhancing governance across the states.