The National Assembly has made significant amendments to the 2025 budget, adjusting allocations across federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to correct identified errors. While the total budget remains unchanged at N54.9 trillion, the revisions include a N500 billion reduction in Capital Expenditure and a corresponding N500 billion increase in Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure.
The amendments, sponsored by Senator Adeola Olamilekan, were debated by the Senate Committee on Appropriations in Abuja. As part of the revisions, Recurrent Expenditure was increased from N13 trillion to N13.5 trillion, while Capital Expenditure was reduced from N23.9 trillion to N23.4 trillion.
Key Budget Adjustments
- Ministry of Defence: Reduced from N2.51 trillion to N2.49 trillion
- Ministry of Police Affairs: Adjusted from N1.225 trillion to N1.224 trillion
- Total Pensions, Gratuities, and Retirement Benefits: Increased from N950 billion to N1.44 trillion
- Military Pensions and Gratuities: Increased from N252.6 billion to N383.9 billion
- Presidency’s Capital Expenditure: Reduced from N144.4 billion to N142.7 billion
- Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security: Reduced from N1.95 trillion to N1.83 trillion
- Federal Ministry of Education: Reduced from N953.9 billion to N944.6 billion
The adjustments were necessary after a review of the previously approved budget initially passed on February 13, 2025 revealed discrepancies in some allocations. The budget had originally been increased from N54.2 trillion to N54.9 trillion, a revision of about N750 billion.
House of Representatives Also Approves Corrections
The House of Representatives also moved to correct errors in the recurrent (non-debt) component of the N54.99 trillion appropriation bill. The motion for revision was moved by Hon. Francis Waive (APC, Delta), chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business. With these corrections, the final version of the 2025 Appropriation Bill is set for further deliberations before receiving President Bola Tinubu’s assent.
