Ondo Government Reports Major Gains in Health, Roads, Education, Economy After 18 Months
28th August, 2026
The Ondo State Government says its administration has recorded significant progress in healthcare, infrastructure, education, agriculture, security and economic development within its first 18 months in office, attributing the achievements to prudent financial management and a people-centred governance agenda.
The government said its reforms were driven by the objectives of improving the ease of living, ease of doing business and ease of governance across the state.
According to the administration, one of its major fiscal achievements was an 82.6 per cent reduction in the state’s global debt profile, which it described as the highest percentage recorded in the country. It said the reduction reflected its commitment to fiscal discipline and effective debt management.
The government also said it had cleared outstanding salary arrears owed to workers and former political office holders, while significant progress had been made in settling pension and gratuity obligations inherited from previous administrations.
Health
In the health sector, the administration said it had recruited more than 2,000 health professionals and expanded health insurance coverage to pensioners, pregnant women, public-sector workers and other vulnerable groups.
It said more than 100 health centres had been renovated within 18 months, while hospitals across the state were being upgraded and equipped with modern medical facilities.
The University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital was listed among the beneficiaries of the intervention, with the installation of a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine, 160-slice CT scanner, 3D digital mammography equipment, 4D ultrasound and digital X-ray facilities.
The government also said a pharmaceutical warehouse in Akure had been completed to improve the availability of medicines.
It further claimed that recent demographic and health indicators ranked Ondo among the best-performing states on neonatal, infant and under-five mortality, while the state was also among those with the lowest maternal mortality ratios.
Roads and infrastructure
On infrastructure, the government said more than 200 kilometres of roads had been completed in the last 18 months, while a 90-kilometre statewide rehabilitation programme was ongoing, with five kilometres allocated to each of the state’s 18 local government areas.
It said major urban roads in Akure, Ondo, Owo, Ikare and other towns had been rehabilitated, with drainage and solar street lighting added to some of the projects.
The administration also highlighted three major intercity dualisation projects being undertaken simultaneously across the state, including the Akure-Idanre road and other roads in the northern and southern senatorial districts.
It said the inherited flyover project along Oyemekun-Ayedun road in Akure had also been completed and commissioned.
According to the government, rural roads connecting farming communities to markets have equally been constructed or upgraded to ease the movement of agricultural produce and reduce post-harvest losses.
Education
In education, the government said it had recruited more than 2,000 teachers for public primary and secondary schools.
It also said it had revived the free school shuttle programme, expanded scholarships and bursaries for tertiary students, and provided books, tablets and sporting equipment to schools.
The administration disclosed that it recently increased its subvention to tertiary institutions in the state by 60 per cent, while also clearing inherited salary arrears owed to staff of state-owned institutions.
Urban renewal and water
The government said its urban renewal programme had transformed public spaces through improved landscaping, walkways, lighting and other facilities.
It disclosed that about 5,000 solar street-light units had been installed across Akure and other major towns under the Light Up Akure initiative.
On water supply, the administration said the Akure Water Supply and Sanitation Project, a component of the $223 million Nigeria Urban Water Sector Reform Programme, was being implemented to rehabilitate waterworks, expand distribution networks and improve sanitation.
It added that new water pipelines had been laid in parts of the state, while rural communities had benefited from water schemes.
Agriculture and investment
The government said it had committed substantial resources to agriculture, with emphasis on food security, value-chain development, farmer support and attracting private investment.
It said about 500 youths had been trained in modern agriculture, while thousands of small holder cocoa and oil-palm farmers had been profiled under an FAO-GEF programme.
The administration also announced plans to develop large-scale industrial and investment projects, including a proposed industrial zone and projects involving petrochemicals, fertiliser, cement and other industries.
It said the return of major private-sector investors to the state was evidence that its economic policies were improving the investment climate.
Jobs and workers’ welfare
The government said more than 6,000 workers had been recruited into critical sectors, including education, health, security and agriculture, since the administration assumed office.
It also highlighted skills-acquisition programmes targeting women and young people, as well as interest-free loans and grants for market women, artisans and small-business owners.
On workers’ welfare, the government said civil servants now receive their salaries on or before the 25th of every month.
It added that about 10 years of outstanding gratuities had been cleared, while pension payments had been sustained.
Security
In the security sector, the administration said it had strengthened the state’s security architecture through improved equipment, welfare and operational facilities.
It said more than 100 vehicles had been distributed to security agencies, while 500 personnel had been recruited into the state’s security corps.
The government also disclosed that a modern command and control centre had been established to improve surveillance and response to security threats.
It maintained that Ondo remained one of Nigeria’s peaceful states despite challenges posed by kidnapping and other security threats.
The administration said the projects and reforms currently underway were part of its broader agenda to build a state where residents could enjoy improved living conditions, businesses could operate more easily and government services could be delivered more effectively.
