The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun, has charged directors in the Federal Ministry of Finance to take the lead in achieving Nigeria’s ambitious target of 7% annual GDP growth.
Speaking at the 2025 Ministerial Performance Management Retreat held in Yola, Adamawa State, Edun urged the ministry’s top leadership to embrace performance-based reforms and deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu. The retreat, themed “Strengthening Performance Management for Fiscal Stability,” brought together key policymakers to assess progress and sharpen strategies in light of Nigeria’s fiscal challenges.
> “The expectations of government and Nigerians are higher than ever. You are the engine room of policy execution. The performance of this Ministry is, to a large extent, a reflection of your effectiveness,” Edun told the directors.
He emphasized that while recent reforms have brought some economic stability, the focus must now shift to accelerating inclusive growth to lift millions out of poverty.
The Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, also underscored the urgency of internal reforms, noting the ministry’s limited fiscal space and rising public expectations.
> “Performance management is no longer optional. It is critical to achieving fiscal stability and meeting the aspirations of Nigerians,” she said.
Adamawa State Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, who represented Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, reaffirmed the state’s alignment with federal economic goals and welcomed the opportunity to host the strategic retreat.
The two-day event is expected to realign internal structures of the ministry with Nigeria’s broader economic objectives, including poverty reduction, fiscal discipline, and economic diversification.
it would be recalled that Wale Edun has previously stated that Nigeria must grow its economy by at least 7% annually to meaningfully reduce poverty. With current GDP growth averaging 3.4% in 2024, the minister has called for targeted investments in agriculture, digital infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and SME financing to close the gap.
