By Hon.Shehu Bawa
Kaduna State cannot achieve its development potential if an increasing share of public revenue is consumed by debt servicing at the expense of security, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and job creation. Borrowing must finance development, not mortgage our children’s future. Under The P.E.O.P.L.E Agenda, my administration will ensure that every naira borrowed serves a clear public purpose, every debt obligation is transparently accounted for, and public finance is managed in the best interests of our people.
The scale of the challenge demands urgent action. Kaduna State’s 2026 approved budget allocated ₦80.21 billion to debt servicing, with approximately ₦40.29 billion reportedly expended by June. These resources could otherwise support essential services and economic opportunities. Within my first 100 days in office, I will initiate an independent forensic audit by a reputable, internationally recognised firm to establish the actual state of domestic and external loans, contractual liabilities, arrears, guarantees, and the utilisation of borrowed funds. The findings will be reconciled with creditors and disclosed publicly, subject to legitimate confidentiality requirements.
This audit is imperative given the reported failure of the State Government, highlighted in the Auditor-General’s annual reports, to provide comprehensive statements of contractual liabilities and internal and external loans for audit, contrary to Section 14(1) and (2) of the Kaduna State Audit Law, 2021. My administration will enforce compliance with the law, ensure the Auditor-General receives the necessary records, and institutionalise regular debt disclosure and independent verification. No public debt should escape scrutiny, and citizens deserve to know what the State owes, to whom, at what cost, and what value those obligations have delivered.
I will pursue strategic debt restructuring and refinancing in collaboration with the Debt Management Office, the Federal Ministry of Finance, multilateral institutions, and other creditors. Our objective will be to negotiate longer repayment periods, lower interest costs where possible, and more manageable repayment schedules. Every proposal will undergo rigorous financial and debt-sustainability assessments to ensure it reduces the State’s long-term burden rather than merely postponing the problem. At the same time, I will strengthen debt management institutions, fully constitute the statutory Debt Management Committee, and review relevant laws and policies to promote professional competence, fiscal discipline, and accountability.
Fiscal discipline must begin with the government itself. My administration will review the cost of governance, and pursue stronger procurement controls, expenditure reviews, transparent reporting, and effective enforcement of fiscal responsibility laws will reinforce these measures. Public resources must serve public priorities, and the government must demonstrate its willingness to make sacrifices before asking citizens to bear additional burdens.
I will align borrowing and expenditure with Kaduna State’s development priorities and The P.E.O.P.L.E Agenda. Through fiscal space analysis, credible revenue forecasting, expenditure reviews, and community-driven needs assessments, we will prioritise security, education, healthcare, water, productive infrastructure, and employment-generating investments. Borrowing will be restricted to legally permissible and economically justified purposes, with clear implementation milestones and measurable public benefits.
Sustainable debt management also requires a stronger revenue base and a productive economy. I will modernise tax administration through technology, improve compliance, broaden the tax base, and strengthen property and business tax administration without imposing arbitrary burdens on citizens. We will support micro and small businesses, expand access to finance, promote digital innovation, attract responsible private investment, and create an enabling environment for agriculture, industry, and services. By generating employment, expanding economic activity, and increasing internally generated revenue, Kaduna State can reduce its dependence on borrowing and strengthen its capacity to meet existing obligations.
My administration will rebuild creditor and public confidence through transparent institutions, credible reforms, and disciplined implementation. We will deepen reforms, sustain relevant fiscal transparency and economic transformation initiatives, publish regular debt and fiscal performance reports, and link debt-sustainability assessments to our 10-year State Development Plan. A high-level team of financial, legal, and economic experts will coordinate creditor negotiations and safeguard the State’s long-term interests. Carefully structured bonds, concessional financing, and public-private partnerships may be considered for viable investments, but only where affordability, legality, value for money, and sustainability are established.
No doubt, confronting Kaduna’s debt crisis requires more than rescheduling repayments; it demands a fundamental change in how the government raises, allocates, manages, and accounts for public money. Debt relief will provide lasting benefits only when accompanied by expenditure discipline, stronger revenue generation, productive investment, and institutional accountability.
Finally, through The P.E.O.P.L.E Agenda, I will restore government to the service of the people, protect essential services, expand opportunities for our youth, and ensure that development is not sacrificed to debt. Together, We Can Do It Differently, building a Kaduna where public finance is transparent, borrowing is responsible, the economy is productive, and future generations inherit opportunities rather than an unsustainable financial burden.
By Hon. Usman Shehu Bawa (ABG), PDP Governorship Candidate, Kaduna State
