Zulum Clears Gratuity Backlog with N5.81bn Payout, Promises Better Welfare for LG Workers

By: Michael Mike

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has approved the release of N5.81 billion to clear a substantial backlog of gratuities owed to retired civil servants and the families of deceased workers, in one of the state’s biggest pension settlement exercises aimed at easing the hardship facing former public servants.

The governor presented cheques valued at N5,814,830,271.94 on Friday at the Government House in Maiduguri before representatives of organised labour and the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to meeting workers’ welfare obligations.

Of the total sum, N2.99 billion will be used to settle all outstanding gratuities owed to the families of deceased civil servants, while N2.82 billion will clear gratuities for retirees up to December 2022, including outstanding entitlements owed to staff of the Borno State Housing Corporation dating back to 2013.

Zulum said the intervention fulfils a major campaign promise and is intended to provide relief to families that have endured years of financial uncertainty.

“We have quite a number of civil servants who have lost their lives, and their families are still battling with life’s challenges. We are presenting about three billion naira to the families of deceased civil servants so they can continue to live in peace and dignity,” the governor said.

He added that with the latest payment, all retired civil servants up to 2022 would receive their gratuities in full, while the government would immediately begin processing payments for those who retired in 2023.

The latest disbursement adds to a series of interventions by the Zulum administration to address pension liabilities. The state currently releases N200 million monthly for gratuity payments. In 2025, the government approved N8 billion for pensioners’ entitlements and teachers’ gratuities, while N12 billion was disbursed in 2020 to settle benefits owed to about 5,000 retired state and local government workers.

Commissioner for Finance, Lawan Dalorima, described the payment as further evidence of the administration’s commitment to honouring workers who dedicated their careers to public service.

According to him, despite competing financial demands, the government has continued to prioritise the welfare of citizens, particularly retirees.

The organised labour movement welcomed the development, with the Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Mamman Bukar, describing the payment as timely and capable of reducing the economic hardship confronting pensioners and the families of deceased workers.

He said the exercise would strengthen workers’ confidence in the government’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations.

Meanwhile, Zulum also assured local government employees that his administration is preparing measures to improve their welfare.

The governor acknowledged that local government workers face numerous challenges but explained that the size of the workforce has constrained the implementation of broader welfare reforms.

He said the state government would soon meet with leaders of local government workers to identify practical solutions.

“Borno State Government is very much aware of some of the problems facing local government employees. Very soon, we shall engage with you and see how we can address your challenges,” he said.

The cheque presentation ceremony was attended by senior government officials, members of the National Assembly, labour leaders, permanent secretaries and other top dignitaries.

Zulum Clears Gratuity Backlog with N5.81bn Payout, Promises Better Welfare for LG Workers

Zulum Emerges BusinessDay’s Best Performing Governor SCIRA Award of the Year

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has emerged as BusinessDay’s 2025 Governor of the Year on Competitiveness and Investment Readiness Awards (SCIRA) under the category of Infrastructure Competitiveness Category Awards.

The award ceremony is scheduled to be held on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at NAF Conference Center & Suites, Jabi, Abuja.

Zulum’s nomination was contained in a letter by the Publisher/CEO of BusinessDay, Frank Aigbogun, addressed to the Governor.

“On behalf of BusinessDay Media Limited, Nigeria’s foremost business and economic intelligence platform, we are honoured to inform you that Borno State has been nominated for ‘Best Performing Governor’ under the Infrastructure Competitiveness Category for the 2025 States Competitiveness/Investment Readiness Awards (SCIRA),” Aigbogun said.

According to him, Governor Zulum’s nomination acknowledges his administration’s extraordinary strides in rebuilding infrastructure, reviving moribund industries, and restoring livelihoods as part of Borno’s long-term post-conflict recovery.

“Your Excellency, few states embody the spirit of renewal as Borno does. Against the backdrop of a decade-long insurgency, your government has delivered one of Nigeria’s most ambitious reconstruction and reintegration programmes, with infrastructure as its anchor,” he added.

Highlights of this transformation include:
Revival of Industrial Assets: The Borno Plastic Industry and Borno Meat Processing Company, once abandoned, have been progressively rehabilitated, signaling a return of productive capacity and investor confidence.

Industrial Hub Redevelopment: Through the Borno State Industrial Park and Enterprise Centre (BIP), over 2,000 SMEs now operate in structured facilities that provide power, workspace, and logistics support.

Infrastructure-led Recovery: Over 10,000 houses have been reconstructed across local government areas, enabling market access and trade linkages among Maiduguri, Biu, Monguno, and Gwoza.

Energy & Industrial Power Supply: The Maiduguri 50MW Gas Plant and collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have significantly enhanced industrial energy reliability.

Mr Aigbogun said these efforts have repositioned Borno as a credible destination for post-conflict
industrial reinvestment that combines human development with economic diversification.

“Borno’s shortlisting was derived from the BusinessDay Research & Intelligence Unit (BRIU) and BudgIT State Competitiveness Model (2025), using a Composite Infrastructure Competitiveness Index (CICI) based on three weighted dimensions,”

“Across these parameters, Borno ranked among the top five northern states, with its infrastructure recovery index improving by over 41% between 2020 and 2024.

“In the education and health sectors, construction of over 100 secondary schools, Kashim Ibrahim University Teaching Hospital and Staff quarters, doctors’ quarters, as well as take-off support for Federal Polytechnic Monguno, Federal College Gwoza, School of Nursing and Midwifery in Gwoza and Monguno, and the Orthopedic Hospital Azare, amongst others,” he remarked.

The Publisher acknowledged that Governor Zulum’s administration has rebuilt confidence, reconstruct
and resettled communities, revived industries, education, and healthcare, noting that today Borno stands as a model of post-conflict competitiveness in Africa.

Zulum Emerges BusinessDay’s Best Performing Governor SCIRA Award of the Year

Buni approved the appointment of Yerima as the new emir of Ngazargamu.

By: Yahaya Wakili

Governor Mai Mala Buni CON, COMN of Yobe state has approved the appointment of Alhaji Yerima Ibn Mahmud as the new Emir of Ngazargamu.

This is contained in a statement signed and issued today, 12th June, 2026, by the acting secretary to the state government, Dr. Mohammed Goje, in Damaturu.

The appointment of the new emir of Ngazargamu followed the demise of the late emir, Alhaji Tijjani Ahmed Ibn-Saleh Geidam, who passed away recently in Cairo, Egypt, after a protracted illness.

Until his appointment, the new Mai Ngazargamu was the Turakin Ngazargamu, an office he held for 16 years. He was also a member of the State House of Assembly.

The new emir of Ngazargamu, Alhaji Yerima Ibn Mahmud, has at different times served as a member of the State Executive Council and the state commissioner for livestock development before the new appointment.

Governor Mai Mala Buni, while congratulating the new emir and the Ngazargamu emirate, urged the new emir to use his wealth of experience to unite the people, promote peace and peaceful coexistence, and foster economic growth of the emirate, Yobe State, and Nigeria as a whole.

Similarly, Governor Buni called on the people to support the new emir to execute the functions of his office diligently, effectively, and efficiently for the benefit of the people, peace, unity, and prosperity of the emirate.

Buni approved the appointment of Yerima as the new emir of Ngazargamu.