Minister of Budget and Eco‑ nomic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has emphasised the importance of strong policy coordination and strategic planning in achieving the Federal Government’s ambi‑ tious economic goals.

Receiving the new Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, on her assumption of duty yester‑ ay, he said the target of growing Nigeria’s economy to $1 trillion by 2030 would be pursued vigorously, according to a statement yesterday.

He re-emphasised President Bola Tinubu’s plans to achieve this objective by growing the economy at seven per cent annu‑ ally, explaining that the upcom‑ ing National Development Plan (2026–2030) would guide economic reforms, investment priorities, and development initiatives across the country.

Bagudu welcomed UzokaAnite’s appointment and told her that, as the official planning authority of the country, the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning is responsi‑ ble for preparing and coordinat‑ ing national development plans, harmonising fiscal and economic policies, providing policy advice to the President, and coordinating development initiatives across the federal, state, and local levels.

The minister recalled recent discussions at the National Eco‑ nomic Council, which identified several key policy priorities to accelerate national development, including improved coordination among federal, state, and local governments, especially since state governments account for about 48% of public expenditure.

Other priorities, he said, in‑ volved increasing investment in security, securing ongoing funding for transformative in‑ frastructure, and strengthening enforcement against illegal ac‑ tivities in the extractive sector, particularly crude oil theft and illegal mining.