Taraba State's Actual Debt Stands at ₦85.51bn

Sarah Adi, the Taraba State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, stated that the state's debt is approximately ₦85.51bn, contrary to claims of ₦1.2tn. This figure is based on the latest data from the Debt Management Office (DMO) as of December 31, 2025.

Adi emphasized the importance of distinguishing between existing debt and approved credit facilities during discussions about the state's finances. The DMO's March 2023 publication indicated that Taraba's domestic debt had decreased from ₦87.96bn.

The state's external debt was reported at about $46.47m as of December 31, 2022, increasing to $48.04m by December 31, 2025. Adi also addressed the ₦206.78bn in commercial bank facilities approved in 2023, clarifying that this amount should not be seen as the current outstanding liability.

Additionally, she noted that Taraba has not yet received the proposed ₦350bn capital-market financing programme, with only an initial tranche of approximately ₦35bn under consideration.