Taraba Government Rejects N1.2 Trillion Debt Claim as Misleading

The Taraba State Government has dismissed claims that it borrowed N1.2 trillion within three years, calling the figure inaccurate and misleading. Commissioner for Finance Sarah Adi addressed the issue during a fiscal briefing in Jalingo, providing official data to counter the allegations.

According to the latest figures from the Debt Management Office, Taraba's domestic debt stood at N85.51 billion as of December 31, 2025. This represents a reduction of approximately N2.45 billion from the N87.96 billion recorded in DMO data available before Governor Agbu Kefas assumed office. Adi clarified that a DMO publication released in March 2023 reflected the state's debt position as of September 30, 2022, not its position at the time of publication.

On external debt, Adi reported that the state's obligations increased from about $46.47 million as of December 31, 2022, to approximately $48.04 million as of December 31, 2025. She described this as a relatively modest increase while acknowledging the potential impact of foreign exchange fluctuations on external liabilities.

The commissioner also addressed a N206.78 billion commercial bank financing facility approved by the Taraba State House...