Ondo State's internally generated revenue reached ₦60 billion in 2025, up from ₦36 billion in 2024, according to the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service. The acting chairman, Bayo Rojugbokan, announced the milestone in Akure on Friday, describing it as the highest annual IGR in the state's history. Monthly revenue rose from an average of ₦3 billion to ₦5 billion, with core revenue accounting for ₦3 billion and additional inflows from agencies and investments making up the rest. Rojugbokan attributed the growth to improved transparency, digital payment systems, and better tax assessment methods.
Taxpayers now receive digital receipts and can verify records easily, reducing leakages and boosting compliance, he said. The state has moved away from automatic annual tax hikes, now assessing taxes based on income and legal guidelines. Efforts are also underway to widen the tax net and introduce electronic ticketing to further curb revenue loss. Rojugbokan revealed that the government's 2025 core revenue target was ₦33 billion, but the agency set a higher internal target to ensure overachievement. The service is already exceeding the government's monthly benchmark, positioning the state to surpass both its 2025 and projected 2026 targets.
Ondo's revenue jump from ₦36 billion to ₦60 billion in one year rests heavily on Bayo Rojugbokan's claim of digital receipts and accurate assessments—details that matter because past promises of reform often vanished in opaque systems. If the state truly replaced arbitrary tax hikes with lawful, income-based evaluations, then small businesses and ordinary earners may finally see fairer treatment. This kind of measurable growth, if sustained, shifts the narrative from reliance on federal allocations to self-funded governance. But until citizens see visible improvements in infrastructure and services, the numbers remain a promise, not proof.
