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What 35 Years of Statehood Tells Us

By Abraham Maina Joda
For NewsNexus | Research • Media • Public Policy • Strategic Communications
27 August 1991 – 27 August 2026

35 YEARS — THE QUESTION

On 27 August 2026, Taraba State turns 35.

Thirty-five years after its creation, the anniversary is an opportunity to look beyond celebrations and ask a simple question:

How far has Taraba come?

The numbers tell a mixed story — there is progress, but there are also serious challenges.

TARABA BY THE NUMBERS

• 35 years of statehood
• 16 LGAs
• 3 senatorial districts
• 6 federal constituencies
• 24 state constituencies
• 3.25 million estimated population
• 54,473 km² land area
• 2.02 million registered voters in 2023
• 3,597 polling units
• 80+ ethnic groups
• Cameroon as an international neighbour

THE GOOD

₦16.06bn IGR

Taraba’s internally generated revenue rose from about ₦4.16bn in 2015 to ₦16.06bn in 2024 — an increase of about 286%.

This shows improved revenue mobilisation.

₦224.73bn CAPITAL SPENDING

Taraba recorded about ₦224.73bn in capital expenditure in 2024, showing significant government investment in infrastructure and development.

₦653.53bn 2026 BUDGET

The 2026 budget stands at about ₦653.53bn, giving the state a much larger fiscal space to invest in development.

EDUCATION AND ROADS

About 15.98% of the 2026 budget was proposed for education and skills, while 19.84% was allocated to roads and transport.

These are critical investments for a largely rural state.

THE BAD

92.1% MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY

This is perhaps Taraba’s biggest development challenge.

About 92.1% of the state’s population was recorded as multidimensionally poor.

This means poverty goes beyond income — involving problems such as education, healthcare, housing, electricity, water and other basic services.

Thirty-five years after creation, this number demands serious attention.

THE NOT-TOO-GOOD

93.21% FAAC DEPENDENCE

In 2024, about 93.21% of Taraba’s recurrent revenue came from FAAC, while only 6.79% came from internally generated revenue.

In simple terms:

Taraba still depends heavily on money from the federation.

The long-term goal should be to build an economy that generates more money from businesses, agriculture, mining, tourism, manufacturing and services within the state.

4.83% FOR AGRICULTURE

Agriculture remains one of Taraba’s biggest economic opportunities, yet only about 4.83% of the 2026 budget was allocated to agriculture and food security.

The real opportunity is not just producing crops.

It is:

Produce → Process → Manufacture → Export.

4.8% UNEMPLOYMENT — BUT OVER 95% INFORMAL

Earlier labour statistics put unemployment at about 4.8%, but more than 95% of employment was informal.

This means the challenge is not simply creating jobs.

It is creating productive, stable and better-paying jobs.

THE UGLY: POTENTIAL WITHOUT ENOUGH VALUE

Taraba has enormous resources:

🌾 Agriculture
⛰️ Mambilla Plateau
🌳 Gashaka-Gumti National Park
⛏️ Gold, barite, bauxite and other minerals
💧 Rivers and water resources
🐄 Livestock
🌍 Cameroon border
🎭 More than 80 ethnic groups
🏞️ Tourism opportunities

But much of this potential remains underdeveloped.

Taraba often produces raw materials without processing them.

It has minerals without enough mineral industries.

It has tourism attractions without a major tourism economy.

It has agricultural land without enough agro-processing.

This is Taraba’s biggest economic gap: value is created elsewhere from resources that originate here.

THE FISCAL PARADOX

Taraba’s revenues and budgets have grown significantly.

But poverty remains extremely high.

That means:

More government money does not automatically mean more prosperity.

The real question is:

What does every naira of public spending produce?

A good road should open markets.

A good agricultural project should create jobs.

A good school should produce skilled people.

A good industrial project should create businesses and revenue.

THE NEXT 35 YEARS

Taraba’s next chapter should focus on five major areas:

1. AGRICULTURE

Move from raw production to processing and agro-industry.

2. MINING

Move from extracting minerals to processing and manufacturing.

3. TOURISM

Turn Mambilla, Gashaka-Gumti and other attractions into a real tourism economy.

4. HUMAN CAPITAL

Give young people skills that connect directly to jobs and businesses.

5. ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE

Reduce dependence on FAAC by growing the state’s productive economy.

THE FINAL NUMBER: 35

After 35 years, Taraba has much to celebrate.

But it also has much to fix.

The state is rich in land, water, minerals, agriculture, culture and human potential.

Yet millions remain deprived.

The challenge for the next 35 years is therefore not discovering what Taraba has.

We already know what Taraba has.

The challenge is turning those resources into:

Jobs.
Industries.
Businesses.
Revenue.
Better services.
And ultimately, a better life for the people.

TARABA AT 35:

The potential is enormous.
The progress is real.
The challenges are serious.
The opportunity is still there.

The next 35 years must be about moving from POTENTIAL to PROSPERITY.

Happy 35th Anniversary, Taraba State.

— Abraham Maina Joda
For NewsNexus