By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja
IN Kaduna’s historic Arewa House, Northern leaders gathered on July 29–30, 2025, to address a long-standing concern: marginalisation.
Organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF), the two-day summit, themed “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizen Engagement for National Unity,” reviewed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, rating its performance positively while calling for urgent attention to regional challenges.
The event attracted several key figures, including National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa, as well as state governors such as Inuwa Yahaya, Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume, the Chairman of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and Kaduna’s Uba Sani, the summit’s host.
The discussions prompted the Federal Government to announce a committee to examine and respond to the North’s demands.
In its communique, the summit acknowledged progress but stressed the need for targeted investment in critical areas.
“Substantial investment in education to address the out-of-school children crisis, especially in the North, is critical,” the communique noted.
The North’s influence has already shaped key national policies, including the tax reform bills signed into law on 26 June 2025. These include the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act. Together, they revised the VAT distribution formula to reflect regional equity, a change largely driven by Northern input.
Still, the Kaduna summit stands out as a strategic milestone in the region’s growing political assertiveness.
It raises a larger question: why does the North’s voice carry such weight while other regions struggle to command similar influence?
A Nation of Unequal Voices
Nigeria’s political landscape is a complex interplay of regional interests. The Southeast continues to highlight its underrepresentation in federal appointments, while the South-South voices frustration over neglected infrastructure. Yet it is the North, armed with a vast population and deep historical influence, that commands the most attention from the centre.
The Tinubu administration’s swift response to the Kaduna summit clearly reflects this dynamic. In contrast, calls from the Southeast for fairness and equity rarely attract such urgency, revealing a stark imbalance in political influence. The summit’s communique higlighted the North’s electoral significance.
“Northern Nigeria contributes significantly to national stability, development, and electoral outcomes,” it stated, noting that the region accounted for 64 percent of the votes that brought President Tinubu to power in 2023.
The North’s growing political leverage is also evident in the recent tax reform legislation, which introduced a revised VAT sharing formula; 50 percent based on equality, 30 percent on derivation, and 20 percent on population.
This adjustment, made in response to Northern opposition, represents a more balanced approach to revenue distribution.
Kaduna’s Strategic Summit
The Kaduna summit was a masterclass in political strategy. Over two days, Northern leaders addressed core issues: economic marginalisation, security crises, and chronic underinvestment in agriculture and education, with striking clarity and resolve.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya underscored the need for accountability
“The North gave President Tinubu over 60 per cent of the votes that brought him to power. That support must be matched with expectations and accountability,” he stated.
Governor Uba Sani emphasised collaboration
“No president, however visionary, can solve the North’s problems without active collaboration from state governments, traditional leaders, and communities,” he noted.
Yet, the summit’s communique was generous in its assessment of the Tinubu administration.
“The administration’s delivery of electoral promises in security, infrastructure, and economic reforms was high and commendable,” it read.
Diplomatic in tone but firm in substance, the message was clear: the North had come not merely to make requests, but to demand action.
Ironically, a glaring imbalance added a layer of controversy to the summit’s demands; about 60 per cent of recent key federal appointments had already gone to Northerners.
These appointments, made across various federal institutions and boards by the Tinubu administration, include:
- Mustapha Salihu – Chairman, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (Adamawa)
- Hamma Adama Ali Kumo – Chairman, Industrial Training Fund (Gombe)
- Abubakar Maikafi – Chairman, Sheda Science and Technology Complex (Bauchi)
- Nasiru Gawuna – Chairman, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (Kano)
- Musa Sarkin Adar – Chairman, National Inland Waterways Authority (Sokoto)
- Garba Datti Muhammad – Chairman, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (Kaduna)
- Mu’azu Bawa Rijau – Chairman, National Bio-Safety Management Agency (Niger)
- Bashir Usman Gumel – Chairman, Federal Medical Centre, Yola (Jigawa)
- Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar – Chairman, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (Kaduna)
- Ali Bukar Dalori – Chairman, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (Borno)
- Abdulkarim Kana Abubakar – Chairman, National Steel Council (Nasarawa)
- Muhammad Babangida – Chairman, Bank of Agriculture (Niger)
- Lydia Kalat Musa – Chairman, Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (Kaduna)
- Jamilu Wada Aliyu – Chairman, National Educational Research and Development Council (Kano)
- Yahuza Ado Inuwa – Chairman, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (Kano)
- Sanusi Musa – Chairman, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (Kano)
- Al-Mustapha Alhaji Aliyu – Director-General, Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (Sokoto)
- Sanusi Garba Rikiji – Director-General, Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (Zamfara)
Yet, rather than bask in perceived advantage, Northern leaders used the summit to highlight internal disparities and push for long-term development. Their focus was on turning political capital into tangible progress in security, infrastructure, and youth empowerment.
This calculated blend of diplomacy and pressure has led many observers to ask: will other regions adopt a similarly strategic approach to assert their own interests?
A Strategic Victory Beyond Tax
The impact of the Kaduna summit goes beyond the successful amendments to the tax reform bill, which had earlier been shaped by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).
The tax laws, set to take effect from 1 January 2026, reflect Northern advocacy. They retain the 7.5% VAT rate, exempt low-income earners (those earning less than ¦ 800,000 a year) and small businesses (with a turnover below ¦ 100 million), and establish the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).
These new laws also merge more than 50 taxes and introduce a 4% Development Levy to fund education and security. The reforms were guided by the ACF’s Tax Reform Committee, chaired by Senator Ahmed Muhammad Makarfi since December 2024.
The committee recommended keeping the VAT rate unchanged and proposed redistributing levies to support education and innovation, moves that align with Northern priorities.
However, the summit’s most significant outcome was the federal government’s decision to set up a committee to address economic challenges, security issues, and concerns over political representation.
Over the two-day event, participants put forward a list of specific demands, with education also a major focus.
“We call for the immediate revival of the Mambilla Hydro Dam, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline, and the Ajaokuta Steel Project to drive economic growth in the North.
“With over 80% of Nigeria’s 20 million out-of-school children from the North, we urge the relaunch of the Universal Basic Education scheme and mass teacher training,” participants demanded.
By comparison, the South-East and South-South’s calls for improved infrastructure and fair representation have received less attention, highlighting the North’s clear strategic advantage.
A Committee’s Uncertain Promise
The formation of the federal committee signals the Tinubu administration’s willingness to respond to Northern concerns, but its real impact remains to be seen.
Mandated to review economic policies and security frameworks, the committee aligns with the goals of recent tax reforms aimed at ensuring fairer revenue distribution.
While some see the committee as a genuine opportunity for reform, others view it as a symbolic move to calm tensions.
Its success depends on whether it delivers on key demands; such as reviving the Mambilla Hydro Dam and addressing the North’s share of Nigeria’s 20 million out-of-school children, which currently stands at over 80%.
The absence of a similar committee for the Southeast or South-South regions underlines the North’s political weight. Recent data showing Northern leaders holding 60% of federal advisory positions has added to ongoing debates over fair representation.
These disparities have reignited questions around fairness and equity in national governance. Will this committee bring lasting solutions to systemic issues, or is it a temporary fix?
The summit’s emphasis on actionable outcomes; such as boosting investment in agriculture to unlock the North’s groundnut and cotton potential has raised the bar for results.
While some view the committee as a reformist step, others remain sceptical. Its legacy will depend on its ability to meet the summit’s demands and deliver tangible improvements across the North.
Meanwhile, the absence of comparable platforms for the Southeast and South-South only highlights how much political influence the North continues to wield on the federal government.
Nigeria at a Crossroads
The Kaduna summit has produced notable outcomes: the creation of a federal committee, renewed national focus on Northern concerns, and a precedent set through landmark tax reform bills.
The North’s strategy, marked by unified mobilisation and diplomatic but pointed critique, has distinguished its approach.
The tax laws, due to take effect on 1 January 2026, aim to ease compliance and protect vulnerable groups. The revised VAT structure and zero-rated essential goods reflect Northern influence.
Yet the summit’s broader demands, as captured in its communique, elevate its significance beyond mere policy adjustments.
However, persistent challenges remain. The South-East’s marginalisation and the South-South’s neglect, evidenced by minimal representation and the absence of a comparable federal committee, emphasise Nigeria’s uneven governance landscape.
The imbalance in appointments, with Northerners occupying 60% of key federal positions, only deepens the sense of disparity.
The North’s success demonstrates a system where one region’s voice often eclipses others, raising critical questions about equity and national unity.
While the committee and tax reforms mark steps forward, their real impact will depend on transparent execution and a commitment to inclusive governance.
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