By RismadarVoice Media, December 19, 2025
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has requested the National Assembly to approve an extension of the implementation of the 2025 Appropriation Act to March 31, 2026, in a bid to end the long-standing practice of running overlapping budgets in Nigeria.
The request was contained in a letter, dated December 18 and read on Friday during a special plenary of the House of Representatives by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
According to the President, the new communication supersedes an earlier request sent on December 16, 2025, and is aimed at addressing persistent overlaps in the country’s budget execution cycle.
President Tinubu said the extension forms part of broader fiscal reforms designed to strengthen planning, execution, accountability in public spending.
He emphasized that the move would allow for the full release of at least 30 per cent of capital allocations to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), noting that delayed disbursements had continued to undermine budget performance.
The proposal includes the repeal and re-enactment of the 2024 Appropriation Act, revising its total size to N43.56 trillion, while adjusting the 2025 budget to N48.32 trillion and extending it to cover the period ending March 31, 2026.
The letter explained that the 2024 Appropriation Act of N35.06 trillion would be repealed and re-enacted at N43.56 trillion, covering statutory transfers (N1.74 trillion), debt service (N8.27 trillion), recurrent (non-debt) expenditure (N11.27 trillion), and capital/development expenditure (N22.28 trillion).
Similarly, the 2025 Appropriation Act of N54.99 trillion would be re-enacted at N48.32 trillion, including statutory transfers (N3.65 trillion), debt service (N14.32 trillion), recurrent expenditure (N13.59 trillion), and capital expenditure (N16.77 trillion).
Tinubu urged lawmakers to consider, pass the bills promptly in the interest of national development.
He stressed that the adjustments reflect current fiscal realities, execution capacities, ensuring credible, transparent budget performance while allowing for the full release of capital allocations for MDAs.
Since assuming office in May 2023, the Federal Government has grappled with overlapping budget cycles caused by delayed budget passage, revenue constraints, and slow disbursement of capital funds.
