President Tinubu submits N1.78trn FCT budget to Senate, seeks swift approval

President Bola Tinubu has submitted a proposed N1.783 trillion budget for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the Senate, urging lawmakers to fast-track its passage for the 2025 fiscal year.

In a formal communication to the upper chamber on Wednesday, the President underscored the urgency of the appropriation bill, highlighting its critical role in ensuring effective governance and improved service delivery for residents of the nation’s capital.

Responding to the President’s call for urgency, the Senate invoked Order 78 of its Standing Rules—an accelerated legislative mechanism—allowing the bill to scale through second reading on the same day it was presented.

Despite the swift movement, the procedure was met with resistance. Senator Abdul Ningi, a member of the opposition, objected under Order 77 (3 and 4), arguing that lawmakers had not received copies of the bill before the discussion commenced.

The Senate subsequently proceeded with a debate on the bill’s general principles.

Presenting the proposal, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele stated that the bill aims to permit the release of ₦1,783,823,708,392.00 from the FCT Administration’s Statutory Revenue Fund. These funds are intended to cover personnel, overhead, and capital expenses from January 1 to December 31, 2025.
According to Bamidele, the budget allocates ₦150.35 billion for personnel expenses, ₦343.78 billion for overhead costs, and ₦1.29 trillion for capital development.

He stressed that the core goal of the budget is to sustain a results-driven administration with  the continuation of existing projects in the FCT and  the introduction of new ones deemed crucial.