Governor Eno Promises Accountability for Akwa Ibom’s N2.943 Trillion Revenue

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has said he is ready to account for his time in office “any day and any time.” This comes as his government still keeps detailed information on how at least N2.943 trillion received since he took office under wraps.

Mr Eno made this statement on Tuesday, 1 September, during the state government’s monthly prayer meeting. He praised President Bola Tinubu for what he called increased funding to state governments.

“Do not let anyone deceive you. This president has done well. I can tell you. I have the figures,” Mr Eno said.

“If we have succeeded at all, have you seen all these projects? It is because there is funding for it. This president has released money. Any governor that tells you that his state does not have money, I don’t know-oo. But my state has money.”

The governor mentioned that his administration had the right documents to justify its spending and was ready to share these records.

“When I hear people say, ‘What have you done with our money? These 39 projects are their money. I am prepared to give an account of my stewardship in this state at any time and on any day. I am a very detailed person,” he said.

But Mr Eno's claims come amid findings by PREMIUM TIMES and BudgIT Foundation. These reports show that the state’s financial records do not provide enough details for citizens to figure out how a large part of the money received has been used.

N2.943 Trillion Received

A PREMIUM TIMES analysis of Akwa Ibom’s audited financial statements, budget performance reports, and revenue records shows that Mr Eno’s administration received at least N2.934 trillion between May 2023 and June 2026.

Earlier reports revealed that Mr Eno’s administration gathered more revenue than the previous administration did in just 32 months.

In February, it was reported that the N2.53 trillion received by Mr Eno’s administration from May 2023 to December 2025 was more than what the state received during the eight-year term of former Governor Udom Emmanuel and the last four months of former Governor Godswill Akpabio.

Where is the Money?

Despite the large revenue, the state government’s financial reports have become less detailed under Mr Eno.

PREMIUM TIMES reported in July that the government’s audited financial statements for 2023, 2024, and 2025 lack detailed capital expenditure schedules.

Also, the budget performance reports from the first quarter of 2025 to the second quarter of 2026 did not include detailed capital expenditure info.

Before 2025, the state’s quarterly reports had enough information for citizens to compare approved projects with actual spending. Now, the government publishes shorter reports, which makes it hard to see where the money comes from, what is spent on individual projects, and how much has been done.

PREMIUM TIMES noted that the second-quarter report for 2026 faced criticism from BudgIT. The organization stated that Akwa Ibom published its Q2 budget report but it had “significant data gaps” that limited public scrutiny.

“Transparency requires disclosure, not just publication,” BudgIT said. They added that Akwa Ibom’s report did not give enough information to show where all the money went.

BudgIT also mentioned that they raised these concerns with the state government, but got no response.

This aligns with PREMIUM TIMES’ January investigation, which found that Akwa Ibom had become more secretive about its finances under Mr Eno. The state’s Fiscal Responsibility Law says the government must conduct its financial affairs openly and share all transactions involving public funds. Mr Eno had promised in his ARISE Manifesto to be transparent and accountable according to this law.

Governor’s Claim on Previous Governments

During the prayer meeting, Mr Eno also linked the development pace in his term to President Tinubu’s willingness to release funds to governors.

He said that previous governments did not release money to states in the same way.

“We are not owing anybody any money. We are ensuring that legacy projects of past administrations are completed because it benefits our people,” he said.

“Previous governments didn’t use to release money. Sometimes, I don’t know. But the president has released money. He has allowed state governors to take charge of their state. When this man leaves, that is when we will know.”

The governor did not provide figures or evidence to back up his claims that past federal administrations did not release funds to state governments.

Available records show that revenue shared among the three tiers of government before was lower due to fuel subsidy payments and a lower exchange rate. Akwa Ibom also received significant allocations under previous administrations, though the amounts were much lower than what Mr Eno's government has recorded.

The increase in revenue now raises the need for detailed disclosure.

'Projects Are Their Money'

Mr Eno stated that the projects his administration is working on are proof of how public funds are being used.

“These 39 projects is their money,” he said, referring to projects set for inauguration for the state’s 39th anniversary.

He said they are compiling the necessary documents to account for the spending.

“We have documentation. People who are compiling are compiling,” he said.

But having documents and publishing them are two different things in terms of public accountability.

BudgIT’s latest assessment highlights this, saying that just publishing a budget report does not mean there is transparency if citizens cannot track public funds.

They found that 34 of Nigeria’s 36 states published their second-quarter 2026 budget reports. Akwa Ibom faced criticism for a report that lacked enough detail for meaningful review.

This difference is important because Mr Eno has often pointed to government projects as proof of how public money has been used.

At his third-anniversary media briefing in May, when asked about how his government spent the over N2.53 trillion received so far, the governor highlighted infrastructure, schools, health centres, and his “85 audacious projects.”

He also directed journalists to the state’s audited accounts and budget performance reports.

However, PREMIUM TIMES later found that those documents did not provide the detailed capital expenditure information needed for independent checks.

Accountability Beyond Rhetoric

Mr Eno’s recent statement about being ready to account for the state’s resources raises a key question: when will the government share the records that would let citizens verify that account themselves?

The state government has not explained publicly why the level of fiscal disclosure has dropped, which earlier allowed citizens to track projects and spending. PREMIUM TIMES has reached out to the finance and information commissioners about these omissions but received no substantial response.

Mr Eno said his government has “put in everything” to serve Akwa Ibom and that he is ready to give an account of his time in office.

But for citizens wanting to know about the N2.943 trillion in public revenue, the main issue is not whether the governor says he is ready to account but if the financial records are detailed, accessible, and verifiable enough for the public to understand how the money came in, where it went, what each project cost, and who got paid.