Behind Closed Doors: NEC Meeting Unveils Sh*cking Plans For Nigeria’s Economy

The National Economic Council (NEC) has endorsed new measures to boost polio vaccination across Nigeria, raising coverage from 81% to 84%, with an emphasis on routine immunisation.

The approval was given during the council’s 151st meeting on Thursday, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

At the session, NEC also adopted the Renewed Hope Medium-Term Plan (2026–2030), designed to serve as a bridge between ongoing reforms and the Nigeria Agenda 2050, the country’s long-term economic framework.

Briefing journalists after the meeting at the Presidential Villa, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, explained that the current plan will lapse in December 2025, making it necessary to roll out a successor framework.

According to him, the new plan will consolidate reforms while addressing emerging socio-economic challenges, focusing on job creation, infrastructure, food security, human capital development, and social protection. Bagudu said the process will involve broad consultations with all levels of government, political parties, private sector players, civil society, youth groups, labour unions, and traditional leaders. National Steering and Technical Committees, jointly led by government and private sector representatives, will oversee the process.

Governors also shared insights on lessons from previous national plans. NEC urged states to be actively involved and commended the ministry for its early start.

On polio, Gombe State Governor Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya, who chairs the NEC Committee on Polio Eradication, disclosed that cases of the circulating variant type 2 polio virus dropped from 78 in 2024 to 42 so far in 2025. Kano and Katsina recorded declines of more than 80%, Zamfara logged zero new cases, while Sokoto accounted for more than half of this year’s infections, with 13 out of 23 nationwide.

Yahaya further noted that vaccination coverage climbed to 84% by June, with millions of children in high-risk states immunised. Alongside vaccinations, campaigns provided additional health services such as nutrition support for pregnant women and malaria prevention.

The council approved upcoming campaigns, including one scheduled for September 11–14 in high-risk states and a nationwide integrated vaccination drive in October, targeting children under 14 against polio, measles, rubella, and malaria.