The Nigerian Senate passed President Bola Tinubu’s ₦1.78 trillion budget proposal for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the 2025 financial year, moving it forward for second reading.
The budget will now be reviewed by the Senate Committees on FCT, Area Councils, and Auxiliary Matters, with a report expected within one week.
The bill was presented by Tinubu through a letter addressed to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
In the letter, the president urged swift passage of the budget to support critical development in the FCT.
The proposal aligns with Section 299 of the Nigerian Constitution, which empowers the president to submit the FCT budget to the National Assembly.
The budget is intended to strengthen vital sectors such as health, agriculture, and social welfare, with a focus on improving job creation and infrastructure in Abuja.
Tinubu detailed that 85% of the budget will go towards completing ongoing development projects, while the remaining 15% will fund new initiatives aimed at boosting economic growth and sustainability.
After the letter was read at plenary, the bill passed its first reading and proceeded to a second reading, with Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) advocating for the suspension of Senate Standing Order 78(1) to speed up the process.
However, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) raised concerns over the lack of prior distribution of the bill to senators, but the Senate continued with the debate.
Senator Bamidele explained that the ₦1.783 trillion would be used for personnel, overhead, and capital costs from January to December 2025.
The breakdown includes ₦150.35 billion for personnel, ₦343.78 billion for overhead, and ₦1.29 trillion for capital projects.
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