By Alex Enebeli
Enugu, Jan. 5, 2026
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has issued a direct appeal to the state’s civil servants, positioning them as the critical linchpin in his administration’s ambitious plan to realize a projected Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N870 billion for the 2026 fiscal year. This call was made during the “2026 New Year Workers Mass” held at the Government House Chapel.
The governor’s message underscores a strategic shift: moving beyond mere tax collection to a holistic, productivity-driven revenue model where every public servant’s daily contribution is quantified. The staggering daily target of N2.5 billion highlights the scale of the ambition, requiring a fundamental change in operational culture across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The “Engine Room” Doctrine: From Bureaucracy to Revenue Catalyst
Governor Mbah explicitly described civil servants as “the engine room for any government,” stating that the administration’s success or failure hinges on their performance. This framing elevates their role from administrative support to active, frontline revenue generators.
“Our civil servants and permanent secretaries, I’ve always said that you are the engine room of whatever we achieve,” Mbah emphasized. “That is why we’re going to double down this year. It’s all about the little of what we do. Those atomic habits and getting to work on time.”
The governor elaborated that achieving the target is not solely a financial challenge but a test of systemic efficiency, collaboration, and accountability. He urged a culture of mutual support, where colleagues step in to fill gaps, all aligned to the “common objective—to serve the people.”
Navigating Global Headwinds with Local Resolve
Mbah contextualized the challenge within a difficult global economic landscape, citing “geopolitical tensions across the globe” as a significant threat to revenue stability. This admission makes the IGR target not just an aspiration but a necessary shield against external fiscal shocks. The implicit strategy is to reduce the state’s dependency on volatile federal allocations by building a robust, internally resilient economy.
To absorb these shocks, the governor stated that “workers would contribute their own bit,” indicating that ambitious revenue targets have been cascaded down to individual MDAs. This suggests a potential performance management framework linking departmental outputs to revenue goals.
Spiritual Foundation and Ethical Mandate
The event, officiated by representatives of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, blended spiritual solemnity with governance. Mbah framed the prayer session as “an honest admission that the role and importance of divine oversight in life is the ultimate,” while also promising to value the Church’s “unfiltered feedback.”
The Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Anthony Udeh, charged civil servants to emulate the governor’s “servant leadership” and discharge their duties with “utmost integrity.” This dual emphasis on divine blessing and ethical conduct places moral responsibility alongside administrative duty in the pursuit of the revenue goal.
Analysis: The Practical Implications of the N870bn Vision
For context, achieving N870 billion in IGR would represent a monumental leap for Enugu State. It would require transformative actions beyond routine tax administration, likely including:
- Radical Ease of Doing Business: Streamlining land acquisition, permits, and approvals to attract large-scale private investment.
- Formalization of the Informal Economy: Bringing vast informal sectors into the tax net through technology and structured engagement.
- Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Leveraging state assets for infrastructure and service delivery projects that generate revenue.
- Performance-Based Civil Service: Potentially linking efficiency, innovation, and revenue-driving initiatives to incentives.
Governor Mbah’s speech is therefore more than a motivational address; it is a declaration of the operational philosophy for his administration in 2026. The success of this unprecedented revenue projection now rests on translating this call for a culture of ownership, punctuality, and collaboration into measurable, systemic changes across the entire state bureaucracy. The world will be watching to see if Enugu’s “engine room” can power this ambitious economic transformation.
Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Sam Oditah
