GRBusiness
Gov Mbah Presents Record N971bn 2025 Budget to Enugu House of Assembly


… Crashes Recurrent further to 14% at N133.1bn
… Capital Expenditure rises to N837.9bn
… Again, Education gets over 33% of budget
… Ramps up IGR from N37.4bn to N144.7bn in 2024
…Assembly promises early passage
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has proposed a record N971bn budget bill for the 2025 fiscal year to the Enugu State House of Assembly.
Presenting the estimates entitled “Budget of Exponential Growth and Inclusive Prosperity” at the floor of the House on Tuesday, Mbah said the proposed estimates comprised N837.9bn Capital Expenditure, representing 86 per cent of the budget estimates, and a Recurrent Expenditure component of N133.1bn, representing only14 per cent of the budget.
This topples the record-holding 2024 budget of N521.5bn, consisting of N414.3bn Capital Expenditure, representing 79 per cent of the total budget and N107.2bn Recurrent Expenditure, representing about 21 per cent.
However, like the 2024 budget, the 2025 budget proposal emphasizes huge investment in education as well as basic but critical infrastructure and amenities like roads and bridges, water supply, transport services, energy, modernization and digitization of public services and associated processes, with the Education sector getting a lion-share of N320.6bn, representing over 33 per cent of the total budget for two consecutive years.
Mbah said that this was in line with his administration target of poverty eradication and an inclusive development model, which ensures that no one or segment of the society is left behind.
The governor equally announced a growth in the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, from N37.4bn at the end of 2023 to N144.7bn in September 2024, representing a radical 286.2 per cent increase in line with the administration’s deliberate effort to wean the state off reliance on FAAC allocations.
Addressing the House, Mbah said, “In crafting this budget, we have sort to continue to lay the right foundation in Enugu to enhance the economy and attract even more private investment.
“In spite of the dreary economic environment across the country, for us here in Enugu, we have elected to remain bullish in our aspirations, and to double down on our commitment to elevate our state to top three status in terms of GDP nationally, and eradicate poverty from our midst.
“Indeed, we see this as a vindication of our previously espoused view that sustainable national growth can really only be driven from the sub-national units to the federal levels, and not the other way round as we have attempted to do to date.
“It is on account of this that we are proposing to the House of Assembly today, a budget with a total envelope of N971,084,000,000.00 as against the budget for 2024 fiscal year which totaled N521,561,386,000.00.
“This represents an 86.4 per cent increase from the 2024 revised budget.
“The budget is broken down as follows: N133,140,000,000.00 as Recurrent Expenditure and N837,944,000,000.00 as Capital Expenditure,” he said.
On sources of revenue, he said, “In the area of our revenues, we estimated that total Recurrent revenues during 2025 will amount to N692,179,000,000 as against the approved revised provision for 2024 of N383,789,000,000.00.
“The Recurrent revenues for 2025 are broken down as follows: opening balance – N32,000,000,000; Internally Generated Revenue, IGR – N509,947,000,000; statutory revenue – N48,749,000,000; exchange rate differential – N26,559,000,000; and Value Added Tax, VAT – N74,924,000,000.
“With the total Recurrent Expenditure at N133,140,000,000.00, this translates to a Net Recurrent Revenue of N559,039,000,000.00, which is thus transferred to the Capital Development Fund.
“The total Capital Expenditure for the year 2025 is projected at N837,944,000,000.00 as against N414,334,120,000.00 for the 2024 Revised Budget. The Current Capital Expenditure estimate will be funded from the sum of N559,039,000,000.00 to be transferred from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, and the Capital receipts of N278,905,000,000.00 to be realized as follows: External and Internal Aids and Grants – N15,000,000,000; other receipts – N80,202,000,000; Domestic Loans/Borrowings receipts – N55,000,000,000; and International Loans/Borrowings – N128,503,000,000.”
Meanwhile, in terms of broad sectors, the Economic Sector got a lion share of N462bn, representing 55.1 per cent of the Capital Expenditure, followed by the Social Sector with N345.7bn, representing 41.2 per cent.
In terms of specific sectors, Education got 33.2 per cent, the largest chunk, in sync with Mbah’s effort to eradicate poverty and graduate the state to a knowledge-based economy.
“As we must all know by now, Education is both our ‘sword’ and ‘shield’ in this battle to achieve economic growth in our state and banish poverty and want among our population. Consequently, we are maintaining the ambitious direction we charted in 2024 by voting a total of N320,609,059,000,00 for that sector. This represents 78% of the social sector of the budget and 33.2% of our Capital Expenditure this year,” he stated.
The governor explained that the 2025 budget would also focus greatly on health, road infrastructure, transport, agriculture, and water sectors, among others.
“There can be no economic growth without quality healthcare. This is why we are spending N45,830,896,000.00 on the sector this year.
“In the area of Works and Infrastructure, we will continue our relentless advance towards our target to build or refurbish all key roads across the state by 2031. In line with this, we will spend a total of N213,120,267,000.00 in 2025.
“Food inflation is a major component of core inflation in Nigeria. Consequently, food production is critical to moderation of the currently high levels of inflation in the Country. As a result, we will be spending up to N82,300,761,000.00 in the agricultural and agro-industrialisation sector this year.
In the area of Transport, we will be spending a total of N41,132,463,000.00 to expand Enugu Air with the acquisition of 4 additional aircraft. In addition, we will be consummating the concessioning of the Akanu Ibiam international airport as well as the construction of an international cargo terminal. We will also be floating a new taxi scheme in collaboration with the private sector to modernize urban and inter-urban transportation for Ndi Enugu.
2024 Budget Performance
Giving a breakdown of the state’s IGR and overall performance of the 2024 budget, the governor noted a remarkable increase in the state’s IGR since the inception of this administration, explaining that while the state’s IGR stood at N26.8bn in 2022, the administration it by 39 per cent to N37.4bn at the end of 2023.
However, as at September 2024, the state’s IGR had drastically increased to ₦144.7bn, representing a 286.2 per cent increase, expressing confidence that ti would surpass 200billion by the end of the year.
“In terms of budgetary performance, the total revenue realised in the state as at October 2024 came to N459,851,309,396.47, which comes to a budget performance of 88%. Of this amount, N178,354,494,502.47 related to Statutory Receipts, while N136,700,000,000.00 related to Capital Receipts and N144,796,814,894.00 to Internally Generated Revenue.
“As at October, these inflows had been applied to Expenditure with N382,427,929,564.00 as Capital Expenditure and N76,546,090,116.18 as Recurrent Expenditure. These translated to a budget performance of 88%. Additional revenues and Expenditure are still expected before the end of the year, with IGR envisaged to surpass the N200 billion mark.
“While we may make bold to say that our progress in this past year is commendable given the odds that were arraigned against the state economy, we are not yet ready to rest on our oars,” Mbah said.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the State Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu, has promised early passage of the budget by the House to sustain the governor’s development strides.
“He exhibited his leadership mantra, tomorrow is here.
“Because you have demonstrated enormous capacity; because you have exhibited enormous potential of the very fabric of our state’s economy, I want to assure you that the House of Assembly shall expeditiously consider this and give you the legal framework to continue flying high,” Hon. Ugwu stated.


Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises(SMBs) are the backbone of most economies accounting for 90% of businesses, over 70% of employment, and 50% of global GDP, according to the United Nations. They drive growth, innovation, and job creation worldwide.
In Nigeria, they play a crucial role in stimulating local economies and contributing to the country’s GDP.
Recognising their impact, WhatsApp is committed to empowering SMBs with the tools to succeed through the WhatsApp Business App, by reaching their customers where they already are.
WhatsApp continues to be the best way for people and businesses to get business done in Nigeria. With its efficient features, the WhatsApp Business App has become an indispensable tool for small businesses, helping them streamline communication, enhance customer engagement and drive sales. And we know customers love communicating with businesses over WhatsApp too, as nearly 80% of people globally message with a business at least once a week.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to optimise your business operations, here are five essential WhatsApp Business features that can elevate your efficiency and customer interactions.
1. Catalog – Showcase Your Products and Services
Gone are the days of sending multiple images and descriptions individually to customers. With the Catalog feature, you can create a digital storefront where customers can browse your offerings within WhatsApp. This is just like a mini-website which makes it easier to showcase your products, prices and descriptions in an organised way.
How to Use It: Go to Business Tools > Catalog. Add product images, videos, names, descriptions and pricing.
2. Quick Replies – Save Time on Repetitive Questions
Answering the same customer questions repeatedly? Quick Replies let you create preset responses for frequently asked questions, saving you time and ensuring fast customer service.
How to Use It:Go to Settings > Business Tools > Quick Replies. Create and save responses such as a greeting message or order confirmation. Use the shortcut “/” to insert a quick reply in any chat
3. Labels – Stay Organised and Track Conversations
Managing multiple customer interactions can be overwhelming, but the Labels feature helps by categorising chats in different ways, such as order status or customer type. You can create labels with different colors or names and add the conversations to an entire chat. This keeps your inbox organised and ensures no customer is left waiting.
How to Use It: Open a chat, tap on the three-dot menu > Label Chat. Assign relevant labels like New Customer, Order Placed, Pending Payment.
4. Away Messages – Engage Customers Even When You’re Away
Never miss a customer inquiry again. Away Messages allow you to set up a greeting or away message, ensuring customers receive timely responses even outside business hours.
How to Use It: Go to Business Tools > Away Message / Greeting Message. Set up a custom message and schedule when it should be sent.
5. Meta Verified – For Enhanced Protection and Account Support
A paid subscription that helps your business build credibility with new audiences, Meta Verified can help drive more engagement and grow your brand. With Meta Verified, you’ll receive enhanced account support, can use WhatsApp across multiple devices and easily create a professional WhatsApp web page that’s tailored to you.
How to Use It: Go to Settings or Business Tools > tap Meta Verified.
WhatsApp Business is packed with features designed to help small businesses grow, stay organised, and engage with customers effortlessly. By leveraging these features, you can enhance your customer experience, increase efficiency and ultimately drive more sales. Start your own journey with the WhatsApp Business app here.


Bolt, the leading ride-hailing platform, on Thursday, 19th of March hosted an Iftar gathering in Kano to bring together Muslim drivers during the holy month of Ramadan.
The event was not only an opportunity to share a meal but also served as a platform for open dialogue, feedback exchange, and community building within the Bolt driver network.
The Iftar event, held in recognition of the significance of Ramadan, reinforced Bolt’s commitment to supporting its driver-partners and fostering inclusivity across all communities. The gathering provided an environment for drivers to voice their concerns, share their experiences, and engage directly with the Bolt team in a collaborative discussion about improving their experience on the platform.
Speaking during the event, Osi Oguah, the general manager for Bolt Nigeria said: “At Bolt, we recognize the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive environment for our driver-partners.
This Iftar event was more than just a meal, it was a chance to connect, listen, and understand the challenges and needs of our drivers in Kano. We appreciate their dedication, especially during this sacred period of Ramadan.”
Drivers in attendance expressed their appreciation for the initiative, highlighting the sense of belonging and recognition the event fostered. Many also welcomed the opportunity to discuss ways to improve their overall experience on the Bolt platform, making it a productive and meaningful engagement for all participants.
Nura Muhammed, a driver-partner said: “We want to say thank you to Bolt for this initiative, if my knowledge serves me right, this is the first time a ride-hailing company will organize such an event in Kano. This event has also made it possible for us to share some feedback to them physically and we drivers mostly get to connect through our online platform but today, we’re able to meet physically, mingle and exchange pleasantries”
Bolt remains committed to strengthening driver engagement and well-being, and this Iftar gathering is part of a broader effort to continuously support and empower driver-partners across Nigeria.
Finance
Flutterwave Powers Local Businesses in Ghana Through Pay With Bank Transfer
Reporter: Ikenna Ugwu


Flutterwave, a leading payments technology company in Africa, has broadened its reach in Ghana through the integration of Pay With Bank Transfer, done in partnership with Affinity Bank.
With over 115 million bank transfer payments recorded in Ghana in 2023, this move will ensure that Flutterwave businesses in Ghana can now receive payments seamlessly and securely through a rapidly growing payment method. While Mobile Money leads as the preferred payment type for everyday transactions in Ghana, the recent growth in transactions for Pay With Bank Transfer symbolizes the expanding payment options available for Ghanaian businesses.
Flutterwave has a track record of driving innovation in the African finance ecosystem, and this new development promises versatility, thereby expanding the pool of customers available to businesses. As a preferred payment method, it also promises faster payments while providing access to a more secure process of transacting which benefits both the sender and the receiver (business).
“We are excited to extend our services to the Ghanaian market” says Olugbenga Agboola, Flutterwave Founder & CEO“At Flutterwave, we are driven by the vision of building Africa’s economy. By making payment options like Pay With Bank Transfer available for everyday use, we are expanding access to payments and enabling local businesses to thrive in the economy”
By establishing this strategic partnership, Flutterwave aims to drive the adoption of the Pay With Bank Transfer option in Ghana, using virtual accounts to allow for secure and transparent payments. This will provide enterprises and small businesses with a simpler way to receive payments and give their customers a seamless process of making payments.
Geoffrey Fiador, Manager, Country Operations and Partnerships, at Flutterwave stated: “By delivering essential payment options like Pay With Bank Transfer for businesses in Ghana, we’re providing an easy way for them to increase their revenue opportunities to grow their businesses. ”
This announcement comes at the heels of Flutterwave’s recent approval by the Bank of Ghana to provide inward remittance services. With a track record of success across Africa, Flutterwave continues to be a trusted partner for businesses in over 34 countries, providing the tools and expertise necessary for success in the dynamic African market.
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