President Bola Tinubu has submitted a proposed ₦1.783 trillion statutory appropriation bill for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the Senate, seeking consideration and approval for the 2025 fiscal year.
In his communication to the Senate on Wednesday, President Tinubu called for expedited consideration of the bill, emphasizing its importance in ensuring effective and service-driven governance for FCT residents.
In response, the Senate invoked Order 78, allowing the bill to proceed to a second reading on the same day it was introduced.
However, the swift process sparked dissent, with opposition lawmaker Senator Abdul Ningi raising concerns under Order 77 (3 and 4). He pointed out that senators had not been provided with copies of the bill prior to its debate.
Despite these concerns, the Senate commenced discussions on the general principles of the FCT Statutory Appropriation Bill for 2025.
Leading the debate, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele outlined the bill’s purpose: to authorize the disbursement of ₦1.783 trillion from the FCT Administration’s Statutory Revenue Fund to cover personnel, overhead, and capital expenditures from January 1 to December 31, 2025.
The budget allocation includes ₦150.35 billion for personnel costs, ₦343.78 billion for overhead, and ₦1.29 trillion for capital projects.
Bamidele highlighted that the budget is designed to promote a service-oriented administration and prioritizes the continuation and completion of critical infrastructure and essential services projects in Abuja. Additionally, new projects considered vital for the territory’s development will also be introduced.