The Ekiti State Executive Council has approved over N10 billion for a suite of infrastructure projects spanning health, water and transportation, the state government announced on Wednesday. According to a statement carried by Punch Newspapers, the council approved funding for the construction of hospital buildings, solar-powered water projects and roads in various communities, alongside an airport project.
The approval follows a pattern of significant capital releases by the Ekiti administration in recent months. In August, the state executive council had approved N20 billion for the construction of a new teaching hospital and the upgrading of existing health facilities across the state. The latest allocation brings total approved infrastructure spending to over N30 billion within a six-month period.
The hospital components of the new approval are intended to expand clinical capacity and improve medical infrastructure in underserved areas. The solar-powered water projects target communities that have long relied on unreliable sources, promising a more sustainable and consistent water supply. Road projects are earmarked for several local government areas, though the specific routes and beneficiary communities were not itemised in the council’s release.
An airport project was also included in the council’s resolution, though details on location, scale and timeline remain sparse. The inclusion of aviation infrastructure signals the state’s broader ambition to diversify its economic base beyond agriculture and civil service employment.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who chairs the executive council, has framed the spending as a response to years of underinvestment in public infrastructure. In a remark carried by the same report, the governor said the administration remains committed to closing the development gap between urban and rural communities.
The approval also comes against a backdrop of fiscal scrutiny for the state. Ekiti, like many Nigerian states, has grappled with revenue generation challenges and dependence on federal allocations. Observers have noted that the scale of the latest approvals will require careful budgetary tracking to ensure projects are completed on schedule and within cost estimates.
Civil society groups have welcomed the move but urged the state government to prioritize transparency and community involvement in the execution of the projects. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and other watchdog organisations have previously called for greater openness in the management of state finances, particularly when large sums are approved for capital projects.
As the state moves to kick off procurement and implementation, all eyes will be on the ministry of works, health and water resources to deliver on the council’s resolution within the timelines promised.