The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has commenced a nationwide data verification exercise aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s revenue allocation framework and ensuring equitable distribution of resources across the federation.
The commission said the exercise is designed to review the factors and proxies used in sharing revenue among states and local governments, with a focus on aligning allocations with current socio-economic realities.
Chairman of the commission, Mohammed Bello Shehu, described the initiative as a landmark step toward enhancing fiscal federalism and improving national development planning.
He emphasised that credible and verified data is critical to building a fair and sustainable revenue allocation system.
“The Commission is committed to ensuring that Nigeria’s revenue allocation framework reflects the realities on the ground. Accurate data is the backbone of fairness, equity, and national cohesion,” he said.
According to him, the exercise underscores the Commission’s determination to promote transparency and responsiveness in the distribution of national resources.
Shehu called on state governments, local authorities, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, and community leaders to cooperate fully with verification teams deployed across the country.
He noted that the outcome of the exercise would have far-reaching implications for fiscal management, national planning, and balanced regional development.
The commission explained that the verification process will involve systematic collection, validation, and reconciliation of key socio-economic and infrastructural data used in determining revenue allocation indices for horizontal sharing.
It added that the exercise would focus on indicators such as education and healthcare provision, internal revenue generation capacity, and infrastructure development at state and local government levels.
As part of the rollout strategy, the Commission has scheduled region-by-region verification across all states and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside stakeholder engagement sessions to promote transparency and collaboration.
Shehu explained that Nigeria’s revenue allocation formula relies on indices including population, landmass, infrastructure, and other development indicators, which must be periodically reviewed to reflect changing realities.
He observed that population growth, urbanisation, and widening development gaps across regions have significantly altered the country’s socio-economic landscape. “These evolving realities necessitate the validation of existing datasets to ensure fairness, transparency, and equity in revenue sharing,” he said.
The chairman disclosed that the ongoing review of the national revenue allocation formula had reached an advanced stage, making the verification exercise a critical step in ensuring the integrity of future allocations.
The commission reiterated that the exercise is both a statutory responsibility and a strategic national initiative aimed at strengthening institutional credibility and supporting evidence-based policymaking.
The statement was signed by Maryam Umar Yusuf, head of the information and public relations unit of the commission.
