By Christian Aburime
As many Nigerian states struggle with fiscal sustainability and contend with healthcare delivery challenges, Anambra State’s recent performance in BudgIT’s State of States 2024 Report again reinforces what innovative leadership and prudent financial management can achieve. Today, under Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s stewardship, Anambra has maintained a thriving model of fiscal responsibility, securing an impressive third position among Nigeria’s 36 states in overall fiscal performance and sustainability.
This remarkable achievement is obviously beyond flaunting a statistical triumph; it represents a fundamental shift in how state governments can approach financial independence and social service delivery. Anambra State’s fourth-place ranking on Index A is particularly noteworthy, as it proves the state’s reduced dependence on federal allocations – a critical indicator of true fiscal autonomy.
What makes Anambra’s success story particularly compelling under Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo is its holistic approach to state management. The administration has successfully balanced the challenges of revenue generation, resource allocation, and healthcare optimisation, proving that fiscal discipline need not come at the expense of social services. This year’s BudgIT report theme, “Moving Primary Health Care Delivery from Sub-Optimality to Optimality,” reflects the importance of this achievement, as Anambra has shown exceptional performance in both fiscal and healthcare metrics.
On a closer look, the state’s strategy is seen to be working on the credo of “Doing more with less”, built on three key pillars: innovative reforms, effective internal revenue generation, and optimal resource allocation. By focusing on growing its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) while maintaining disciplined operating expenses, Governor Soludo has created a sustainable model that works best for the state.
In other words, Governor Soludo’s administration has demonstrated that with the right policies and implementation strategies, Nigerian states can break free from the cycle of federal dependency. The Soludo government’s approach to creating an enabling business environment has not only attracted investments but has also strengthened the state’s domestic resource mobilisation capacity.
However, this success comes with a responsibility. As one of the top-performing states in Nigeria, Anambra now has the opportunity, and indeed, the obligation, to continue living up to its slogan as “the Light of the Nation”. The lessons from its fiscal management strategies and healthcare sector reforms could provide a roadmap for states still grappling with financial sustainability challenges.
Yet, the journey to transforming Anambra State into a livable and prosperous modern mega-city continues with greater impetus. The challenge for Anambra will be to maintain and build upon its many achievements under Governor Soludo. While the current rankings are impressive, the dynamic nature of economic conditions means the state must continue to innovate and adapt. The focus should remain on further strengthening internal revenue generation mechanisms while maintaining the efficiency of public spending. No doubt, Governor Soludo will surely ensure all these come to past
However, as states continue to struggle with economic challenges at various levels, Anambra’s example under Governor Soludo shows that states can chart their own path to fiscal independence and sustainable development with the right leadership. This is not just a show of strength for Anambra; it is a blueprint for Nigerian federalism at its best.
