… Programme Targets 8.8 Million Beneficiaries Across 8,809 Wards

The National Economic Council (NEC) unveiled a ward-based economic stimulus plan aimed at improving the livelihoods of over 8.8 million Nigerians across the country’s 8,809 electoral wards.

Announced during its monthly meeting, the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme (RHWDP) seeks to drive double-digit economic growth by supporting at least 1,000 economically active individuals per ward, with larger wards targeting 2,000.

Presented by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aiming for a $1 trillion economy by 2030, despite the current growth rate below 4%.

The programme, endorsed by state governors, draws legal backing from the 1999 Constitution and the Fifth Alteration Act, focusing on food security and production methods.

A National Steering Committee, representing all six geopolitical zones, will oversee implementation, with the ministry serving as the secretariat.

Tinubu, addressing the council, noted the economy’s recovery but stressed the need to stimulate rural growth through collaboration with state governments.

He urged investments in rural electrification, agricultural mechanization, and school feeding to enhance prosperity. Governors like Hope Uzodimma of Imo praised the plan’s grassroots focus, highlighting increased federal revenue as a funding source.

The initiative includes legacy projects like the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry Super Highways, with the Office of the Surveyor-General moved to the presidency for oversight.

NEC also directed the Ministry of Finance to release emergency funds for flood preparedness, following a National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) report on 2025 risks, reinforcing national development efforts.