By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
Gombe State Secretary to the Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, has said the state’s development trajectory under Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya offers a practical demonstration of how visionary leadership, institutional innovation and participatory governance can transform a subnational entity within Nigeria’s federal system.
Delivering a keynote address on Governance, Insecurity and National Development, Prof. Njodi said Nigeria’s governance debate has become more urgent as the country continues to confront insecurity and development setbacks. He argued that national progress must be driven from the subnational level, noting that “it is the aggregation of subnational experiences—state successes and failures—that ultimately determines Nigeria’s trajectory.”
Prof. Njodi presented Gombe’s governance model from 2019 to 2025 as a compelling case study on sustainable development, reforms and inclusive leadership.
The SSG recalled that Gombe, created in 1996 and home to more than 3.5 million people, occupies a strategic position in the North-East. Despite bordering states affected by insurgency and instability, he said Gombe has succeeded in building “one of the most stable, reform-oriented public administration systems in the region.”
He noted that Governor Yahaya inherited a state weighed down by poverty, fragmented development and weak infrastructure in 2019. The administration responded with an ambitious reform agenda anchored on the Gombe State Development Plan (GSDP) 2020–2030, the first long-term development blueprint in the state.
Gombe State Development Plan 2020–2030
Describing the GSDP as one of Nigeria’s most strategic subnational plans, Prof. Njodi said it seeks to build “a highly educated, technologically driven, harmonious, and prosperous state.”
The plan is structured around five core pillars:
1. Economic Development
2. Infrastructure Development
3. Social Development and Welfare
4. Sustainable Environment
5. Governance and Institutional Capacity
The SSG noted that the plan aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and incorporates global best practices while reflecting local needs. It also features a rigorous Monitoring and Evaluation framework to enhance transparency and results-based management.
Prof. Njodi highlighted the establishment of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in 2019 as one of the boldest steps taken by the administration. The bureau has led reforms in digital governance, adoption of IPPIS and TSA, capacity-building for civil servants and procurement reforms—outcomes that have strengthened professionalism, efficiency and accountability across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Gombe has risen as a national leader in digital governance, with innovations driven by the Due Process Bureau such as the Gombe Due Process Mobile App, real-time project tracking tools and redesigned procurement dashboards. These initiatives earned the state two awards at the 2025 Nigeria GovTech Public Service Awards, consolidating its reputation for transparency and digital transformation.
Despite being regarded as one of the most peaceful states in the North-East, Prof. Njodi said the administration has continued to adopt a holistic approach to security built on defence, development and dialogue.
Efforts include logistical support for security agencies, youth empowerment programmes, security summits and conflict mediation. He said more than 1,200 young people were recruited as marshals under the Youth Rehabilitation and Empowerment Programme (YREP), boosting community intelligence and policing. As a result, Gombe now ranks 2nd nationwide in the 2025 State Performance Index for Security.
The keynote speaker also highlighted reforms in the health sector, including the full implementation of CONMESS and CONHESS, biometric payroll cleanup that saved the state ₦4.5 billion, establishment of 228 Primary Health Centres—two per ward—and the upgrading of general hospitals.
The GoHealth insurance scheme now covers more than 380,000 residents, particularly vulnerable groups. These interventions, he said, have significantly improved health outcomes and earned national and international recognition.
Under the Network 11-100 initiative, 100 km of roads were constructed in each of the 11 LGAs, transforming mobility and economic activity. Additional infrastructure includes bypass roads, rural access roads, the Gombe Capital Special Development Zone and the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park, a 1,000-hectare industrial cluster attracting over ₦60 billion in investment and projected to create more than 250,000 jobs.
Gombe’s rising economic profile, Prof. Njodi noted, stems from reforms in land administration through GOGIS, streamlined business registration, friendly tax policies and harmonised revenue systems. By 2025, the state’s Internally Generated Revenue rose from under ₦1 billion to over ₦28 billion, while foreign direct investment exceeded $100 million annually.
The administration invested heavily in education by constructing and rehabilitating over 1,600 classrooms, recruiting 1,000 teachers, establishing mega colleges and integrating Islamic and secular education in Tsangaya schools—all aimed at reducing out-of-school figures and improving learning outcomes.
Prof. Njodi concluded that Gombe’s experience reinforces the transformative potential of subnational governance when driven by vision, strong institutions and citizen participation.
“Telling Gombe’s story is not just a matter of pride,” he said.
“It is a national imperative—proof that with the right leadership, states can become laboratories of reform and engines of resilience.”