Government and governance: Kogi and Zamfara states examples, by Sina A Agboluaje

This essay x-rays Economic Growth and Development, Direct Impacts on Citizens’ Livelihoods Across Nigeria’s States — The Roles of Being‑in‑Government and Governance.

Economic growth refers to the rise in a state’s or nation’s total income, output and physical economy. Development goes far beyond growth; it translates economic gains into tangible improvements in ordinary people’s daily lives: stable jobs, good roads, electricity, clean water, healthcare, safe communities and rising household income. Across Nigeria’s 36 states, whether economic growth improves human welfare depends heavily on two connected but different factors: being‑in‑government (the politicians and officials holding state power) and governance (the broad multi‑stakeholder process of managing public resources). While growth can sometimes occur from private‑sector investment alone, inclusive, people‑centered development rarely happens without effective leadership from those‑in‑government and strong governance systems.

How Being‑in‑Government Drives Growth and Livelihood Outcomes

Those‑in‑government at both federal and state levels control the most critical levers that determine whether economic growth reaches local citizens.

1. First, state governors, commissioners and elected officials set economic priorities and investment policies. A state government may decide to attract mining investors, revive free‑trade zones, build power plants or expand agribusiness. When leaders prioritise job‑creating sectors, economic growth can begin. However, if those‑in‑government focus their spending on projects with little benefit to local communities, recorded economic growth may not change ordinary people’s daily lives. Growth then happens, but poverty, unemployment and poor infrastructure remain — a situation widely described as “jobless growth” or “growth‑without‑development”.

1. Second, people‑in‑government manage public revenue and budgets. They decide how much money is spent on hospitals, rural roads, electricity access, schools and poverty‑alleviation programmes. Even when a state earns high income from mineral resources or investment projects, development will not reach households if government funds are poorly allocated, delayed or mismanaged. This explains why some resource‑rich states in Nigeria record economic growth statistics while many citizens still live without basic services.

1. Third, being‑in‑government carries the power to create law, security and regulation for businesses. Stable policies and safe communities attract local and foreign investors, which generates economic growth. When state officials fail to provide security, enforce contracts or maintain consistent rules, investors pull back, businesses close, and ordinary people lose sources of income. For example, insecurity in mining‑producing states damages the local economy and destroys livelihood opportunities, even when valuable mineral resources exist underground.

How Governance Shapes Whether Growth Improves People’s Lives

Governance is the wider process that includes government, private investors, community leaders, civil‑society organisations and local residents. Good governance ensures that economic growth is shared, rather than captured by a small group.

When governance is inclusive, state authorities consult communities before launching large‑scale projects such as mines, power stations or free‑trade zones. Local citizens can voice their needs, demand job opportunities, environmental protection and compensation for land use. Under these governance arrangements, economic growth is far more likely to deliver direct benefits to households.

Conversely, poor governance — even with growth‑generating investment — produces weak development outcomes. If decisions are made only by officials‑in‑government without community input, large economic projects may bring profit to investors and government revenue, while local people face land loss, pollution, few jobs and no improvement in their standard of living.

Governance also covers accountability and transparency.

Effective oversight makes sure public money meant for roads, water and healthcare is actually used for those purposes. Without strong governance systems, the good intentions of those‑in‑government are not enough to turn economic growth into improved livelihoods across Nigeria’s states.

Practical Nigeria State‑Level Examples.

In Kogi State, planned bulk‑electricity investment can deliver economic growth through power‑sector revenue. Whether this growth translates to better life for residents depends first on decisions made by those‑in‑government: approving clear investment frameworks, releasing capital for infrastructure and providing security for power sites. Next, good multi‑stakeholder governance is needed: involving host communities, creating local‑job quotas, monitoring electricity tariffs and ensuring rural areas receive new power supply. If government leaders ignore community voices and governance oversight is weak, the electricity project could generate state revenue and economic growth on paper, yet local households may still lack constant power supply and new employment.

Similarly, in Zamfara State, formalized mining‑zone investment could unlock significant economic growth. State officials‑in‑government must make the political choice to support the mining‑economic free‑zone policy. After that, inclusive governance with traditional rulers, mining communities and investors will decide whether gold‑sector growth reduces poverty, creates local jobs and improves public services, or remains an economic gain that does not reach ordinary households.

Conclusion

Across Nigeria’s states, being‑in‑government provides the authority, policy direction and budgetary power to start economic growth. Governance determines whether that growth becomes real human development that directly lifts the living standards of the population. Economic growth can be created by investor activity, but without responsive leadership from those‑in‑government and inclusive, transparent governance, wealth generated will often fail to improve people’s daily lives. Sustainable development therefore requires both: committed officials‑in‑government and strong multi‑stakeholder governance systems working together.

Short summary.

1. Being‑in‑government controls state economic policy, budgets, security and laws needed to attract investment and generate economic growth.
2. Growth alone does not automatically improve citizens’ livelihoods; it must be channeled into social services, jobs and community‑focused projects by government officials.
3. Governance is the wider process that ensures economic gains are shared across communities, not limited to a small group.
4. Inclusive governance allows citizens, traditional leaders and investors to participate in decision‑making over big economic projects.
5. Across Nigerian states, successful people‑centred economic development is achieved when those‑in‑government combine strong political will with transparent, multi‑stakeholder governance.

Economic Growth and Development, Citizens’ Livelihoods Across Nigerian States (Role of Being-in-Government and Governance)

Economic growth refers to the increase in a country or state’s economic output, revenue, and productive capacity. In contrast, economic development is the improvement of citizens’ living standards through jobs, functional infrastructure, quality healthcare, education, and poverty reduction. Across Nigeria’s 36 states, economic growth does not automatically translate to better lives for the people. The transformation of economic growth into tangible human development depends entirely on two key factors: Being-in-Government and Governance. While being-in-government holds formal state authority, governance is the inclusive process that ensures public wealth benefits ordinary citizens across all Nigerian states.

The Impact of Being-in-Government on Economic Growth and People’s Lives

Being-in-government consists of elected and appointed state officials who control political power, public budgets, policy formulation, and security architecture at state and federal levels. They are the primary drivers of economic growth in Nigeria’s states.

First, government officials set economic priorities for their states. They decide investments in mining, electricity, agriculture, road infrastructure, and trade zones. Their policy decisions attract investors, create economic activities, and generate state revenue. Without political will from those in government, no developmental project or economic initiative can succeed, even with abundant natural resources.

Second, people in government manage public funds and resource allocation. They determine how state revenue is spent on social amenities that directly affect citizens’ lives. When government priorities rural development, job creation, healthcare, and affordable electricity, economic growth improves household livelihoods. However, poor fund management, corruption, and misplaced priorities cause “jobless growth”, where states record economic progress on paper while citizens remain poor, unemployed, and lack basic amenities.

Third, being-in-government guarantees security and regulatory stability. Government makes laws, regulates business activities, and maintains peace. Stable governance environment attracts local and foreign investment, creates employment, and boosts economic development. Insecurity and inconsistent government policies in many Nigerian states hinder growth, destroy livelihoods, and impoverish the masses.

The Role of Governance in Transforming Growth into People’s Development

Governance is a broader, multi-stakeholder system involving government, traditional rulers, citizens, private investors, and civil society. Unlike being-in-government (which focuses on official power occupancy), governance focuses on how power is used and how resources are distributed.

Good inclusive governance ensures that economic growth benefits all residents across urban and rural areas of Nigeria’s states. It allows community participation in decision-making, ensuring developmental projects meet local needs, create local jobs, and compensate host communities. Transparent and accountable governance prevents resource exploitation, corruption, and marginalisation of ordinary citizens.

Conversely, poor governance undermines economic development. When governance is exclusive, opaque, and unaccountable, state wealth and investment gains benefit only government officials and elite groups. Citizens suffer land loss, pollution, unemployment, and poor infrastructure despite ongoing economic growth in their states. This explains the wide gap between economic statistics and poor living conditions across many Nigerian states.

Practical Nigerian State Illustration.

Across resource-rich states like Zamfara and Kogi, the difference between government power and good governance is very clear. In Zamfara State, abundant gold resources can drive massive economic growth. However, poor governance and inconsistent government policies have led to illegal mining, insecurity, environmental damage, and no meaningful development for locals. Only effective leadership from those in government and inclusive governance can formalise mining activities, create jobs, and improve citizens’ lives.

In Kogi State, ongoing electricity sector investments generate economic growth. Yet, this growth will only transform livelihoods if those in government implement fair policies and inclusive governance. Community engagement, job inclusion, steady power supply, and transparent fund usage will turn economic growth into real development for the people.

Summary

In summary, Being-in-Government creates economic growth through policy-making, investment drive, security provision, and resource management across Nigerian states. Meanwhile, Governance determines whether growth improves people’s lives. Government occupancy provides the power and resources for economic expansion, but inclusive, transparent, and accountable governance ensures equitable development, improved livelihoods, job creation, and better living standards for all citizens across Nigeria’s diverse states. Sustainable economic development in Nigeria therefore requires responsible leadership from those in government paired with robust multi-stakeholder governance systems.

Author: Dr Sina A Agboluaje

Saturday 15th August, 2026.