Tinubu requests Senate to approve N1.7trn 2025 FCT budget

President Bola Tinubu has transmitted a proposed ₦1.783 trillion statutory appropriation bill for the FCT to the Senate for consideration and approval for the 2025 financial year.

The request is contained in a letter addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and read at plenary on Wednesday.

It reads in part  “Pursuant to Section 299 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, which vests legislative powers over the Federal Capital Territory on the National Assembly, I hereby present the 2025 FCT budget proposal to the Senate for consideration.

“The 2025 FCT Budget Proposal prioritises investment in health care services, job creation, youth empowerment, social welfare services, education infrastructure as well as increasing productivity in agriculture.”

The President said that the budget was aimed at lifting as many citizens as possible out of poverty, adding that a total expenditure of N1.7 trillion was proposed for the 2025 fiscal year.

He said that 85 percent of the capital expenditure was dedicated to the completion of ongoing projects, while 15 percent was earmarked for new capital projects.

“This is to sustain the ongoing efforts at providing basic infrastructure and social amenities in the FCT,” he said.

Tinubu expressed hope that the budget proposal would receive expeditious consideration and passage by the Senate.

Responding to the request, the Senate invoked Order 78 to allow the bill to scale second reading the same day it was introduced.

However, the accelerated process did not go without a grudge as an opposition lawmaker, Senator Abdul Ningi, raised concerns about the procedure under Order 77 (3 and 4), pointing out that lawmakers had not been provided with copies of the bill prior to the debate.

The Senate, therefore, began debate on the general principles of the FCT Statutory Appropriation Bill for the 2025 fiscal year.

Leading the debate on the bill, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, explained that the proposed legislation seeks to authorise the issuance of ₦1,783,823,708,392.00 trillion from the FCT Administration’s Statutory Revenue Fund to finance personnel, overhead, and capital expenditures between January 1 and December 31, 2025.

The budget breakdown includes N150.35 billion for personnel costs, N343.78 billion for overhead, and N1.29 trillion allocated for capital projects.

Bamidele underscored that the primary objective of the budget was to drive an effective and enduring service-oriented administration, with a strong focus on completing ongoing projects that have significant impacts on infrastructure and essential services in Abuja.