Senate, Reps to lay 2025 budget reports as N’Assembly resumes

…2025 budget may be higher than N50trn – Sources

The National Assembly will resume plenary on Tuesday, with the presentation of the budget reports, expected to exceed N50 trillion, topping the day’s agenda.

The reports will be laid separately before both Chambers by the Senate and House of Representatives Appropriations Committees, chaired by Olamilekan Adeola and Abubakar Bichi, respectively, as lawmakers reconvene after a brief recess.

According to sources privy to the activities of the Appropriations Committees, lawmakers are in the final stages of concluding their reports, with various stakeholders engaging with them at the hotel where they are lodged.

One of the sources, who spoke to BusinessDay, noted that the final figures had yet to be determined.

“However, the figure is above N50 trillion, that’s all I can disclose for now,” the source stated.

There are strong indications that the budget may be passed soon after its presentation, as lawmakers aim to expedite the process to meet fiscal planning deadlines.

Once the reports are laid before both Chambers, legislators will debate and scrutinise the new figures, which will determine whether the budget advances to the third reading for final approval.

The proposed budget prioritises key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education, and security.

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Nigeria’s 2025 budget, presented to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu dubbed the “Budget of Restoration,” stands at approximately N49.74 trillion, marking a 41.9% increase from the previous year.

The budget prioritises major sectors, with allocations including N4.91 trillion for Defence and Security, N4.06 trillion for Infrastructure, N2.48 trillion for Health, and N3.52 trillion for Education.

Both the Red and the Green chambers had on Tuesday, January 14, adjourned plenary to allow heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to defend their allocations in the N49.7 trillion 2025 Appropriations Bill before the relevant committees.

Budget defence sessions with MDAs initially commenced on January 7 but later resumed in full force as lawmakers critically examined proposed allocations.

Notably, while some of these sessions were held behind closed doors, even for non-sensitive sectors, others were conducted in open sessions, allowing for greater transparency.

Yemi Adaramodu, the Senate spokesperson had earlier announced that the joint Appropriations Committees of the two Chambers of the National Assembly would present their report on the N49.7 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill for consideration and approval by January 31.

“Full activities on the 2025 Appropriation Bill will commence in the second week of January. The Joint Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives will start meeting with MDAs on January 7. The final report will be laid on January 31,” he stated.

However, the lawmakers postponed resumption to Tuesday, February 4, to allow for more time for the lawmakers to conclude budget defence sessions.