By Iyoho Emmanuel
ABUJA — The Economic and Fiscal Justice Coalition(EFJC) has called on the Federal Government to ensure that ongoing economic reforms deliver tangible benefits to citizens, with poverty reduction as the central measure of success.
Representatives of the coalition, Eze Onyekpere of the Centre for Social Justice, Celestine Odo of ActionAid Nigeria, Olusegun Elemo of Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative, and John Onyeukwu of Statecraft, met with the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy on July 8, 2026.
The Minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Muhammad Sanusi Danjuma.
The meeting focused on “Building an Economy That Works for Everyone.” The coalition urged the President to urgently assent to the Federal Audit Service Bill and stressed that fiscal stability must create room for increased social investment.
It also warned that Nigeria’s rising debt profile requires greater prudence, and that domestic resource mobilization should be prioritized ahead of additional borrowing.
According to the coalition, accountability and transparency must accompany revenue growth, the cost of governance must be reduced, and economic growth must translate into jobs rather than wealth for a few.
It added that agriculture should be positioned as Nigeria’s most powerful anti-poverty strategy, while social protection should be treated as an economic investment. The group further emphasized that good governance is sound economic policy and that citizens must be treated as partners in the reform process.
EFJC told the Minister that Nigeria is at a defining moment, and that the difficult reforms already undertaken have opened an opportunity to build a more resilient economy.
It stated that history will not judge this era only by improvements in revenue, exchange rate stability, or fiscal balances, but by whether more Nigerians escaped poverty, businesses expanded, young people found decent work, farmers became more productive, women were economically empowered, children stayed in school, and every Nigerian felt the impact of reform in daily life.
The coalition, therefore ,called for a new social compact built on fiscal responsibility, inclusive growth, investment in education, healthcare and social protection, accountable governance, and genuine partnership with civil society, the private sector, labour, and communities.
EFJC said it remains ready to work with the Ministry of Finance and other government institutions to advance policies that strengthen fiscal sustainability while ensuring that progress is measured not only by the strength of government balance sheets but by the dignity, opportunity, and wellbeing of every Nigerian.
The coalition concluded that the true wealth of a nation is measured not by what it keeps in its treasury, but by what it invests in its people.