The Benue State Government has announced plans to boost its internally generated revenue (IGR) to N3 billion monthly by the end of 2025, aiming to comfortably pay salaries and clear pension arrears.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi, the Commissioner for Finance, Michael Oglegba, said the government had already grown its monthly IGR from around N600–700 million to nearly N2 billion within one year under Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration.
“We have a very ambitious plan to raise revenue to over N3 billion each month,” Oglegba said. “Achieving this will allow us to pay salaries and pensions comfortably from our IGR, but it will require significant effort on our part.”
He emphasized that the immediate target is to use internally generated funds to meet the new minimum wage obligations and ensure prompt payment to both civil servants and pensioners.
Oglegba attributed the revenue increase to plugging financial leakages rather than introducing new taxes. “The approach has helped the state consistently meet its salary obligations without placing additional financial strain on the population,” he noted.
However, the commissioner warned that while no new taxes would be introduced, the government would intensify efforts to enforce tax compliance among evaders, using every legal means available.
He stressed that hitting the N3 billion monthly target would not only guarantee timely payments but also fund other critical development projects in the state.
