Senate Gives 2025 Budget Extra Three Months for Completion

In a bid to prevent the abandonment of ongoing projects and ensure the effective utilisation of public funds, the Senate has approved a three-month extension for the implementation of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act. This move shifts the deadline from June 30 to September 30, 2026, allowing Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) more time to complete their projects. The decision was made after a motion presented by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Tahir Monguno, was adopted by the lawmakers. The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, explained that the extension was necessary due to delays in project execution, procurement bottlenecks, and administrative constraints that had slowed down the implementation of the budget despite significant releases to MDAs. According to Bamidele, despite the substantial funds released by the Federal Government for the execution of approved projects and programmes, a significant proportion of the first release remains unutilised. He warned that failure to grant additional time for implementation could expose ongoing capital projects to abandonment, resulting in financial waste and disruption of government interventions. Bamidele stated, 'The 2025 Appropriation Act was enacted to provide funding for the implementation of government programmes, projects, and activities aimed at promoting economic growth, infrastructure development, national security, and the welfare of Nigerians.' He further cautioned that failure to extend the implementation period may result in the abandonment of critical projects, wastage of already committed public resources, and disruption of ongoing government interventions. After a debate on the motion, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, put the proposal to a voice vote, which was overwhelmingly approved by the lawmakers present. The Senate resolved to support an amendment to the 2025 Appropriation Act, extending the implementation period of the capital component by an additional 90 days. Lawmakers argued that the extension would help improve budget performance, reduce waste in public expenditure, and ensure that ongoing infrastructure and development projects are not stalled midway. The resolution will now be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence before it becomes operational. With the approval, MDAs now have up to September 30, 2026, to complete the execution, certification, and payment processes for capital projects captured under the 2025 Appropriation Act.