The Senate on Monday pledged to collaborate closely with President Bola Tinubu’s administration to ensure the timely approval and effective implementation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
Speaking at a public hearing on the budget organised by the Senate Committee on Appropriations in Abuja, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to oversight, accountability, and supporting policies that stabilise the economy and improve citizens’ welfare.
“We will continue to work with the Executive and all stakeholders to ensure that the 2026 Budget is not only passed on time, but implemented with fidelity and measurable results,” Akpabio said.
In his address titled From Budget to Impact, Akpabio described budget hearings as vital democratic exercises, stressing that Nigeria faces pressing challenges including inflation, infrastructure deficits, unemployment, and security concerns.
He urged a shift from traditional spending patterns to more efficient fiscal management, quoting economist John Maynard Keynes: “The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.”
Akpabio emphasised that fiscal discipline, tax reforms, macroeconomic stability, and infrastructure delivery must work together as pillars of national recovery. He commended the Appropriations Committee for opening the budget process to public scrutiny, calling citizen and expert input “the oxygen of governance.”
“Budgeting in a democracy is not done for the people alone, but with the people,” he noted.
Concluding, Akpabio described the budget as a moral document that reflects national priorities and values, urging stakeholders to engage constructively in shaping Nigeria’s economic future.
