Delta ranks highest in liquidity rating among Nigeria’s 36 states

Delta State has emerged as the highest-ranked state in terms of liquidity among the 36 states of the federation, the Commissioner for Finance, Sir Fidelis Okenmor Tilije, has said.

Disclosing this during a meeting with the management and staff of the Ministry of Finance in Asaba on Tuesday, Tilije attributed the development to the state government’s fiscal discipline, improved revenue generation and prudent resource management.

At the meeting, the commissioner outlined the financial strategies underpinning the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, which he said had strengthened the state’s capacity to meet its financial obligations while sustaining critical development projects.

He said the state’s improved fiscal position was driven by reforms implemented under the administration’s M.O.R.E Agenda, particularly its commitment to responsible borrowing, revenue diversification and efficient public financial management.

According to him, Delta State is funding its 2026 procurement cycle and executing major projects across the roads, bridges, healthcare and education sectors without taking on new debt.

Tilije identified the state’s zero-borrowing fiscal approach as a key component of its financial strategy, noting that the government was focused on meeting its development obligations through available resources rather than accumulating additional debt.

He said the expansion of the state’s revenue base, particularly through non-oil economic activities and improved internally generated revenue (IGR), had contributed significantly to its financial stability.

The commissioner stressed that IGR growth was not driven by increased tax rates but by reforms aimed at professionalising revenue collection, widening the tax net, improving compliance and eliminating revenue leakages.

He added that the government was also preparing to introduce more economically viable empowerment programmes designed to improve livelihoods and expand opportunities for residents.

On workers’ welfare, Tilije said the state had consistently paid salaries to its workforce of more than 60,000 personnel between the 24th and 25th of every month.

He also highlighted the institutionalisation of the 13th-month salary for public servants, describing it as part of the government’s commitment to workers’ welfare and financial stability.

In the health sector, the commissioner said the government had sustained free medical services for pregnant women and children under five in government hospitals, alongside efforts to upgrade primary healthcare centres across the state.

Tilije assured residents that the administration would sustain its commitment to fiscal responsibility, infrastructure development and investment in human capital, adding that prudent resource management remained central to delivering on its development agenda.

He also called on Deltans to support Governor Oborevwori’s re-election bid in 2027, expressing confidence in the administration’s ability to consolidate its achievements and advance the state’s development.