Nigerian National Assembly Begins 2025 Budget Defence Today

Ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) will today begin the defence of their allocations in the 2025 budget estimates before the joint committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives. This marks the start of a crucial phase in the budget approval process. The defence will run until January 18, after which the Appropriation Committees will review and finalize the details, preparing the clean copy for passage by January 31.

A retreat for public input on the 2025 Appropriation Bill, presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on December 18, 2024, is scheduled for Thursday. While the National Assembly is set to resume plenary on January 14, the Appropriation Committee and other standing committees have been working in preparation for the budget discussions.

The chairmen of the Senate and House of Representatives Appropriation Committees, Senator Olamilekan Adeola and Hon. Abubakar Bichi, respectively, have outlined the timeline for the budget process. According to Senator Adeola, the budget was introduced to the Senate on December 18, 2024, with the second reading following shortly after on December 19, 2024. The Appropriation Committees are now tasked with inviting MDAs to defend their proposed budget allocations, focusing on personnel, overhead, and capital expenditures.

Adeola emphasized the need for prompt action, highlighting the tight timeline but assuring that the committees are committed to completing the process as scheduled. If necessary, the passage date could be extended beyond January 31 to accommodate any adjustments.

The committees are also planning a retreat to provide a clearer understanding of the budget’s contents for stakeholders and the general public. Following the MDAs’ budget defence, reports will be harmonized and presented for approval on January 31.

This process is critical to ensuring the smooth passage of the national budget and addressing the nation’s emerging needs effectively.