President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has again written to the National Assembly (NASS), transmitting fresh Appropriation (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bills for both the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years in a bid to reset Nigeria’s federal budgeting framework, align it with current economic realities and curb the recurrent problem of overlapping budgets.
In a letter dated December 18, 2025, addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, Tinubu asked lawmakers to consider the new bills “in accordance with the established constitutional and legislative appropriation process.”
What the Bills Propose
2024 Budget Revision: The existing ₦35.055 trillion Appropriation Act would be repealed and re-enacted at ₦43.561 trillion, covering statutory transfers, debt service, recurrent (non-debt) expenditure and capital/development spending through 31 December 2025.
2025 Budget Revision: The ₦54.99 trillion 2025 Appropriation Act would be repealed and re-enacted at ₦48.316 trillion, with fiscal coverage extended to 31 March 2026 to facilitate full capital releases to ministries and agencies.
The revised frameworks are designed to accommodate previously unrecognised items, reflect a 30 per cent capital implementation target, and align allocations with prevailing fiscal conditions and execution capacity.
Why the Reset?
The Tinubu administration says the move is part of broader fiscal reform measures to:
End the practice of running multiple budgets concurrently — an issue that has plagued Nigeria’s fiscal cycle, with capital components of earlier budgets often extended into subsequent years.
Strengthen planning, execution and accountability across government expenditure cycles.
Provide a transparent and constitutionally grounded appropriation mechanism and public financial management framework.
Key Safeguards in the Bills
Among the features aimed at reinforcing fiscal discipline:
Appropriated funds must be applied strictly for specified purposes.
Virement (fund re-assignment) will require prior National Assembly approval.
Conditions for corrigenda to correct genuine errors are set out.
Excess revenue must be recorded separately and its expenditure limited to legislative approval.
Periodic reporting on releases and agency revenues is mandated.
Parliamentary Progress
The House of Representatives has already passed the repeal and re-enactment bill for second reading, underscoring legislative movement toward consolidating Nigeria’s fiscal years and addressing the anomaly of overlapping appropriations.
Context and Outlook
Nigeria’s budgeting process has faced criticism for years due to prolonged implementation windows, which undermine planning and accountability. Tinubu’s proposal seeks a hard reset to align budgets with calendar years, starting cleanly in 2026, and bolster trust in public finance management.
📌 The National Assembly’s timely deliberation and passage of these bills will be central to whether this fiscal reset takes effect as intended.
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