The BudgIT Foundation with support from the ETF and in collaboration with the Community Empowerment and Development Initiative, has once again emphasized the pressing need for Delta State to diversify its economy and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability.
This followed an earlier focus group discussion that was seen as a key step in engaging stakeholders to create practical solutions for Delta State’s economic development.
The meeting brought together participants from civil society organizations (CSOs), government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), community leaders, and market associations to thoughtfully explore the challenges, opportunities, and strategic approaches needed to strengthen and revitalize Delta State’s economy.
Participants highlighted several major challenges, including the lack of corporate social responsibility from oil companies, inadequate road infrastructure, unreliable power supply, and environmental damage from gas flaring. They noted that these issues have severely limited revenue generation and slowed sustainable development in both oil-producing and farming communities.
Despite the challenges, stakeholders outlined several key strategies for economic diversification. These include improving infrastructure to better connect rural areas, growing the service sector particularly tourism and financial services promoting ICT skills and innovation, supporting small-scale manufacturing and environmentally friendly industries, and tapping into the state’s mining, power, and energy potential. They also emphasized the need for skills acquisition programs, especially targeting women and youth, to boost entrepreneurship and create jobs.
The communiqué also put forward a range of measures to support fiscal sustainability. These include enforcing stricter fiscal discipline, ensuring greater transparency and accountability in budget execution, involving communities more actively in project planning, using technology to prevent financial leakages, and introducing fair tax reforms alongside public awareness campaigns on taxation.
Additional recommendations focused on responsible debt management, tapping into non-oil sources of revenue, ensuring fair resource distribution, and investing in education—particularly in digital skills and entrepreneurship—to build a more resilient economy.
As part of actionable recommendations, participants called on both government and private sector stakeholders to focus on improving access to clean water and healthcare, convert flared gas into energy, and extend transportation networks to underserved rural areas. They also emphasized the need to address security challenges to attract more investment into the state. Additional suggestions included promoting sustainable farming to enhance food security, providing grants and mentorship to support local businesses, and strengthening governance systems to restore and maintain public trust.
In a joint statement, the participating organizations and community groups — including BudgIT Foundation, Community Empowerment and Development Initiative, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Environment, Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Finance, Centre for Peace Warri, and various grassroots organizations, emphasized the need for united, collaborative action.
The workshop aims to act as a catalyst for building stronger collaborations between the government, civil society, and local communities, working together to reshape Delta’s economic future in line with national and global best practices.
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