By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The National Assembly has passed the 2026 Appropriation Bill of N68.30 trillion following the request of President Bola Tinubu for the National Assembly to upwardly review the proposed budget by N9.81 trillion.
The bill’s passage indicates that the proposed budget has been increased by N9.81 trillion from the N58.18 trillion presented by President Tinubu to a joint session of the National Assembly in December 2025.
Both chambers of the National Assembly passed the bill during plenary on Tuesday, March 31, after separately considering and approving the president’s request for an upward adjustment of the bill.
Thereafter, the lawmakers passed the appropriation bill for third reading.
The proposed budget was passed at the House of Representatives following the presentation of the report by the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abubakar Bichi.
The approval came after weeks of legislative scrutiny, including budget defence sessions involving Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), where lawmakers examined spending proposals, revenue projections, and implementation plans.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, commended lawmakers for their diligence and commitment to the process, stressing that the timely passage of the budget is critical to sustaining the January-December fiscal cycle.
Tinubu, in the formal request for an upward review of the bill, conveyed in a letter to both chambers on Tuesday, explained that the increase was necessary to accommodate outstanding commitments, particularly legacy capital projects inherited from previous budgets, with the aim of ensuring their completion.
He further noted that the additional funding would bolster ongoing transport infrastructure projects, aligning with the administration’s development priorities.
The president further noted that the adjustment also aimed to support macro-fiscal stability and reduce pressure on the domestic financial market.
