By Naomi Sharang
Abuja, Dec. 18, 2025
President Bola Tinubu has formally notified the Senate of his intention to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly this Friday at 2:00 p.m. The letter, read on the floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, sets in motion the critical constitutional process of enacting the nation’s annual financial plan.
This annual budget presentation is far more than a ceremonial event; it is the foundational step in the nation’s fiscal governance. The President’s presentation marks the formal transmission of the Federal Government’s revenue and expenditure proposals—the blueprint for national priorities—to the legislature for scrutiny, debate, and approval. The document outlines planned spending on infrastructure, defense, education, healthcare, and social services, alongside projections for government revenue from sources like oil, taxes, and customs duties.
The timing and context of this presentation are particularly noteworthy. Coming in the third quarter of the fiscal year 2025, it allows for the constitutionally mandated period of legislative review before the new financial year begins on January 1, 2026. This schedule is a marked improvement over the historical delays that often truncated implementation periods, and it signals an adherence to the Fiscal Responsibility Act aimed at ensuring predictability in government spending.
Following the President’s speech, the budget document will be broken down by the relevant Senate and House of Representatives committees. These committees will summon heads of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) for detailed defense of their proposed allocations in public hearings—a process designed to ensure efficiency, curb wasteful spending, and align expenditures with national development goals as outlined in government plans like the National Development Plan.
The ultimate passage of the budget into law requires approval from both legislative chambers and the President’s assent. The final, legislated version may differ from the executive’s proposal, reflecting the checks and balances inherent in Nigeria’s democracy. Citizens and stakeholders will be watching closely for the proposed figures on debt servicing, capital versus recurrent expenditure, and the underlying economic assumptions regarding growth, inflation, and oil production—all of which will shape Nigeria’s economic trajectory for the coming year.
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq
