Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) will commence the defence of their 2025 budget allocations today before joint committees of the Senate and House of Representatives. This marks a critical phase in the budget process following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presentation of the Appropriation Bill on December 18, 2024. The budget defence will continue until January 18, enabling the Appropriation Committees to consolidate reports ahead of the proposed January 31 passage date.
Senate Appropriation Committee Chairman, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, and his House counterpart, Abubakar Bichi, outlined the timelines for the process. Adeola revealed that committee chairpersons had received working documents to scrutinize personnel, overhead, and capital allocations. He emphasized the importance of completing the collation and harmonization process to ensure a comprehensive report is ready for plenary.
To enrich the legislative review, a budget retreat will hold on Thursday, allowing stakeholders and the public to provide input. Lawmakers are expected to resume plenary on January 14, with a two-week break to focus on budget deliberations. Adeola noted that while January 31 is the tentative passage date, extensions may be considered to ensure a thorough and inclusive process.
Bichi reiterated the commitment to meeting the timeline, stating that harmonized reports would be ready by January 22. He assured Nigerians of a transparent review process, stressing that lawmakers had sacrificed their holidays to prioritize the budget. “We aim to deliver a document that works for all Nigerians,” Bichi said, emphasizing the National Assembly’s dedication to its constitutional duty.
