National Assembly Begins Review of N49.7 Trillion 2025 Budget, Sets January 31 Deadline
……Plenary to be suspended for two weeks as deliberations commence
The Nigerian National Assembly has commenced deliberations on the proposed N49.7 trillion 2025 budget, with lawmakers setting January 31 as the tentative deadline for laying the Appropriation Bill before both chambers.
The Senate plans to suspend plenary for two weeks upon resumption on January 14 to allow for an intensive review of the budget at the committee level. An “Open Day” for budget discussions, inviting input from stakeholders and heads of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), is scheduled for Thursday, January 11.
During a meeting with Senate standing committee chairpersons in Abuja, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, acknowledged the tight schedule but stressed the importance of conducting a comprehensive review.
“We are committed to a thorough and efficient review process. Hard copies of the budget proposals have been distributed to committee chairpersons to guide the defense sessions with MDAs,” Senator Adeola stated.
Key members present at the meeting included Senate Deputy Leader Senator Lola Ashiru and Senate Whip Senator Tahir Monguno, alongside other committee leaders.
The review follows President Bola Tinubu’s presentation of the 2025 budget on December 18, 2024, which passed second reading in both chambers the following day.
The tentative schedule for the budget process includes:
January 9-30: Committee-level budget defense sessions
January 31: Submission of the final budget report to both chambers
The Appropriation Committee will consolidate and finalize the reports, aiming for timely passage of the 2025 Appropriation Bill.
“This timeline serves as a working guide to ensure that we meet the January 31 deadline,” Adeola added.
The proposed 2025 budget represents President Tinubu’s commitment to economic growth, fiscal stability, and improved governance. The National Assembly’s deliberations will play a critical role in shaping its implementation.
