In the latest session of the Nigerian National Assembly, significant amendments were made to the 2025 budget passed just last week. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives convened to address what were described as inadvertent errors in the budget’s line items, correcting figures to reflect a more accurate distribution of the N54.9 trillion budget.
The budget, initially approved on February 13, 2025, saw the total amount remaining unchanged; however, there were notable shifts in how the funds were allocated between capital and recurrent expenditures. The amendment process, led by Senator Adeola Olamilekan and Hon. Abubakar Kabir, the chairmen of the Joint Committee on Appropriations, focused on ensuring that the budget aligns with the government’s priorities and operational realities.
Key among these amendments was a reduction in capital expenditure by over N500 billion, bringing the total to N23.439 trillion, while recurrent expenditure saw a corresponding increase by the same amount, now standing at N13.588 trillion. This adjustment was made to correct clerical and calculation errors identified after the initial passage of the budget.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Jubrin Barau, explained that such corrections are a normal part of the budget process, acknowledging clerical staff’s occasional mistakes. “After every budget process, we usually find errors that need to be addressed to ensure the budget accurately reflects our intentions,” he said during the plenary session.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, praised the Appropriation Committees for their diligence in spotting these discrepancies before the budget reached the President for assent. “This clarity and transparency are crucial for our governance,” Akpabio noted, underscoring the importance of the revision for maintaining the integrity of the budgetary process.
The amendments have stirred discussions across various platforms, including social media, where posts have been highlighting the changes. Some users expressed concerns over the reduction in capital expenditure, questioning the impact on infrastructure development, while others debated the increase in recurrent spending, with opinions split on whether this would lead to better service delivery or increased administrative costs.
Critically, the budget adjustments maintain the same fiscal deficit at N13.08 trillion, with a deficit-to-GDP ratio of 1.52 percent, indicating that the overarching financial strategy of the government remains intact despite the internal reallocations.
The National Assembly’s swift action to amend the budget has been praised by some as a sign of responsive governance, ensuring that public funds are directed where they are most needed. However, critics argue for more rigorous oversight from the onset to avoid such last-minute changes, which could disrupt the planning and implementation of government projects.
The amended 2025 budget now awaits the President’s assent to become law, with expectations that these changes will provide a clearer and more effective framework for Nigeria’s economic activities in the coming fiscal year. This amendment reflects not only a commitment to financial accuracy but also to the broader goal of ensuring that budgetary allocations truly serve the nation’s developmental objectives.
