Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called on the Federal Government and state governments to focus more on production, enterprise development and job creation as part of efforts to ease the pressure of rising living costs on Nigerians.

Governor Adeleke made the call on Tuesday while speaking at the 2nd Distinguished Lecture in Osun State.

He argued that governments at all levels must move beyond policies that focus mainly on revenue generation and instead create an environment where businesses can produce, expand and employ more people.

The governor stressed that increased production and employment were critical to addressing the economic difficulties facing households and businesses.

Rising cost of living

Governor Adeleke said the rising cost of living continues to put significant pressure on Nigerians, making it necessary for governments to adopt policies that directly support economic activity and household incomes.

He maintained that encouraging production, supporting enterprises and creating jobs would help strengthen the purchasing power of citizens while reducing dependence on imported goods.

Osun’s industrialization drive

The governor’s position is also in line with his administration’s stated push to move Osun from what it described as a predominantly civil-service economy towards a more industrialised state.

Recent efforts by the state government include attracting investors to the Osun Free Trade Zone and promoting private-sector investments capable of creating employment opportunities.

For Nigerians, the governor’s argument centres on one major issue: jobs and production must grow alongside economic reforms.

More local production could help strengthen businesses, create employment and reduce pressure from imported goods, while increased job opportunities would provide households with more income to cope with the cost of living.

The call also places responsibility on both federal and state governments to ensure that economic policies translate into opportunities that Nigerians can actually feel in their daily lives.