Taraba State Government Rejects ₦1.2 Trillion Debt Claims

The Government of Taraba State has rejected claims by opposition parties, including Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, that the administration of Governor Agbu Kefas accumulated over ₦1.2 trillion in debt during its three years in office. Commissioner for Finance Sarah Enoch Adi labeled the figures as fake news and misleading, stating that the allegations conflate existing debt with approved but unaccessed financing facilities.

According to Debt Management Office records, Taraba's domestic debt decreased from ₦87.96 billion in 2023 to ₦85.51 billion as of December 31, 2025. External debt saw a modest increase from $46.47 million in 2022 to $48.04 million in 2025. Adi clarified that a ₦206.78 billion bank facility approved in 2023 and a proposed ₦350 billion capital-market programme are not current liabilities.

Additionally, the administration noted that $268 million in agreements signed with the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development on June 26, 2026, for industrial and energy projects remain undisbursed. The state government maintains that its borrowing is tied to productive infrastructure and fiscal sustainability, dismissing the opposition's claims as an attempt to attract sympathy ahead of the 2027 elections.