The speaker of the house of representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has warned against overly ambitious projections in the 2026 budget, cautioning that unrealistic assumptions could threaten fiscal discipline.
Abbas spoke on Friday at a joint sitting of the national assembly following the presentation of the 2026 appropriation bill by President Bola Tinubu. He said excessive optimism in budgeting could erode public confidence and weaken the credibility of fiscal planning.
According to him, lessons from the outgoing 2025 fiscal year underscore the need for budgets to be built on credible, resilient, and realistic assumptions.
“If 2025 was a year of adjustment and learning, 2026 must be a year of fulfilment,” he said.
“Growth must increasingly translate into jobs, higher incomes, and expanded opportunity.
“Fiscal discipline must continue to deliver fairness, efficiency and visible impact.
“Above all, the 2026 Budget must be grounded in credible targets, realistic assumptions, and disciplined implementation.”
Abbas said there was strong optimism within the national assembly that the 2026 budget would deliver improved outcomes, not just in intent but in measurable results.
“The national assembly receives the 2026 Appropriation Bill with confidence that the lessons of 2025 have been fully internalised and that this budget is designed to translate reform into tangible progress for Nigerians,” he said.
“Growth must increasingly translate into jobs, higher incomes, and expanded opportunity. Fiscal discipline must continue to deliver fairness, efficiency, and visible impact.
“And national policy must remain firmly anchored in coherence, predictability, and institutional order.”
He added that Tinubu’s assurance that Nigeria would operate with one budget and a single fiscal framework, alongside his commitment to deepen fiscal realism and restore order to the budgeting process, signals a reform-driven 2026 budget.
The speaker assured Nigerians that the national assembly would treat the appropriation bill with urgency and diligence, carefully scrutinising spending to ensure accountability and value for money.
“To Nigerians watching, the message of this budget is clear. Stability has been restored, confidence has been rebuilt, and the foundations for shared prosperity are firmly in place,” he said.
The federal government has faced difficulties implementing the 2024 and 2025 budgets, leading to the concurrent operation of multiple appropriations within a single fiscal year.
As a result, the president has asked the national assembly to repeal and re-enact both budgets and to extend the implementation of the 2025 budget to March 2026 to ensure fiscal alignment and continuity in public spending.