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L—R… Minister of State for Finance Dr Ngozi Uzoka Anite, Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Finance Mrs Ludia Jafia and Director Finance and Account Mrs Ngozi Okonkwo during their 2025 Budget Defence Before, House Representative Committee on Finance, held at National Assembly in Abuja.
L—R… Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Finance Mrs Ludia Jafia [left] discussing with Chairman of House Committee on Finance Hon. James Faleke and Deputy House Committee on Finance Hon. Saidu Abdulahi, during the 2025 Budget Defence, of Federal Ministry of Finance, held at National Assembly in Abuja… PHOTOS: Anayo Opara.
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…Bemoans paltry allocation for Regional Dev. Ministry
.As NASS pledges adequate funding of Fiscal Responsibility Commission, others
By AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc.Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has stated the urgent need for increased budgetary allocation to deliver the Presidential mandate of providing affordable housing and reducing the housing deficit.
Dangiwa gave the higlight during the 2025 budget defence before the Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, and the House of Representatives Committee on Housing and Habitat respectively, in Abuja.
The Senate Committee is under the Chairmanship of Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, while the House of Representatives Committee is headed by Abdulmumin Jibrin.
Dangiwa, who alongside the Minister of State, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata led the management staff of the Ministry to the budget defence, also presented the 2023/2024 budget performance of the Ministry.
In his presentation, he highlighted the ministry’s priorities for 2025, emphasizing the need to complete ongoing housing projects, slum upgrading, and urban renewal programs across the nation.
Dangiwa also listed the focus areas of his ministry in the 2025 budget to include; construction of 20,000 housing units under the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda, and completion of National Housing projects in over 20 states and the FCT.
The Minister urged the committee to increase budget allocations in seven key areas which he said were critical to the transformative policies and programmes of Mr President to put the economy on the path of recovery and growth.
According to the Minister, the seven key areas included increased funding for the completion of ongoing housing projects, enhanced allocation for slum upgrading and urban renewal programs, additional resources for the National Housing projects and improved funding for affordable housing initiatives.
Others he said we’re, enhanced allocation for housing infrastructure development, increased support for housing research and development, improved funding for housing policy and regulatory framework development.
In a statement signed by Salisu Badamasi Haiba, Director Press and Public Relations, both committees expressed their support for the vision and commitment of the ministry to turn around the housing sector of the country and assured the Ministry of their collaboration to assist the ministry to meet it’s demands and obligations
However, Ministry of Regional Development has solicited for National Assembly’s support for additional funding to enable it deliver on its mandate.
The superintending Minister, Abubakar Momoh, made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja when he appeared before the joint committee on regional development to defend the ministry’s budget proposals for 2025.
Momoh said that the ministry was not resting on its oars in its request for adequate funding.
He said that the ministry was desirous of working and giving maximum cooperation to the committee to achieve an acceptable and workable 2025 budget.
According to the Minister, a summarised outline of the budget envelope for the ministry’s 2025 budget had a celling of N28.9 billion.
This, according to the minister, is made up of N24 billion capital expenditure and N1.6 billion recurrent expenditure, while N2.7 billion was earmarked as personnel expenditure.
Momoh expressed the regret that the 2025 budget envelope still reflected that of the defunct Ministry of Niger Delta Development, instead of the six regions.
He, however, said the 2025 budget made provision of two billion for youth and women empowerment and capacity-building programmes across the regions.
The minister further stated that one billion naira was also provided for livelihood support initiatives and N600 million for medical outreach programmes for rural communities.
He said the ‘meager’ capital budgetary ceiling of N24 billion meant that the ministry might be constrained to apply judicious use of the funds by specifically applying some parameters to guide selection of projects execution.
According to him, the ministry is poised to step down projects with low levels of completion, complete those ongoing and include the ones that, upon completion, will have highest impacts on the regions.
Momoh said that the ministry was also keen on reducing the high incidence of abandoned and uncompleted projects, while placing emphasis on human capital development, job creation and social protection-related projects.
Earlier, Chairman of the committee, Sen. Olajide Ipinsagba, said that the transformation of the former ministry of niger delta development into the ministry of regional development was a landmark decision.
Ipinsagba said that the decision reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable national development.
He said the broader mandate was a strategic step to addressing the diverse development needs of the regions across the country.
Ipinsagba said that the new ministry would maintain a firm focus on the peculiar challenges faced by the Niger Delta region. According to him, the ministry now serves as a beacon of hope for other regions facing similar development challenges.
Ipinsagba said that the committee would critically evaluate the ministry’s proposal to ensure that its new mandate was reflected in its priorities.
“This means we will be able to support students and care-givers by supporting the development of schools and programmes.
“We will be able to support the development of free education and a number of other research projects.
“This will also be beneficial to the development of school services and other programmes,” he said.
The senator urged the joint committee to set the ministry on the path of achieving its goals of equitable development, economic inclusion and national unity.
He commended the leadership and staff members of the ministry for embracing the expanded role with vision and determination.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Senate has vowed to allocate adequate funds to agencies of government that play watchdog roles.
According to the committee these agencies cannot continue to be weakened by underfunding, given their strategic and critical roles in compelling revenue generating agencies to comply with financial regulations.
Senate Committee Chairman on Finance, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa stated this during the 2025 budget defence of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission on yesterday in Abuja, when the Chairman of the Commission, Victor Muruako appeared before him.
Sani lamented the underfunding of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, noting that the principle of budget envelope which makes its mandatory for the Budget Office to make proposals for them was hampering their activities as adequate funds have never been allocated since its establishment in 2007.
The Fiscal Responsibility Commission was established in 2007 under the presidency by the Act of Parliament to “promote a transparent and accountable government financial management framework for Nigeria.”
The lawmaker explained that the parliament will look into FRC’s 2025 budget with a view to reconsider it.
He said: “One major area that we looked at is funding. You are not funded very well. And you are just like the watchdog of all those agencies that generate revenue. You are more like the office of the Auditor General. But yours is different because you mainly look at revenue and remittances. What they’ve done has outweighed you. And honestly, Mr. Chairman, I will commend you because you’ve been up and doing all this.”
“And we will do our best to see how the authorities can reconsider your budget starting from 2025. Thank you, the commissioners, and this is the first time I’m having a full picture of your agency.
“Just as I said, the Committee honestly will not go into looking at what is here, but more is to concentrate on how we can get that request approved. Because that will be the basis of which you will be comfortable that you have your working budget. And then secondly, about the issue of the amendment to the act.
“That was that one. And I recall vividly, this is a kind of disability act that was passed in front of the first piece of legislation, just at the beginning of this year. And we did it then with a view in bringing transparency and accountability. And when I look at the budget, it’s just the story of this great country, a very sad story.
“I have written a letter to the Senate President which is still with me and I like to discuss with him personally concerning the abysmal funding of the Commission before I submit it to him which I know will be passed to the Appropriation Committee.
Earlier in his budget performance report, the Chairman of the Commission, Victor Muruako said, they were doing their best, but inadequate funding has posed a major challenge to enforcing remittances in the Consolidated Revenue Fund, CRF.
According to him, the 2025 budget of N1.6 billion for the Commission was grossly inadequate for the extensive work the agency was into, while he expressed the hope that lawmakers will reconsider funding of the agency.
A member of the Committee, Senator Abdul Ningi representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District and other members supported the reconsideration of the FRC budget.
They also aligned with the Commission Chairman’s request for amendment of the Act to strengthen compliance by Government Owned Enterprises and improve transparency and accountability in public finance management.
The Nigerian Senate has suspended the 2025 budget defence for the Officemof Auditor General for the Federation
The development may result to zero allocation to the OAGF as the Senate has earlier scheduled Wednesday 22nd January, 2025 as deadline for budget defences to pave way for Committee on Appropriation to harmonise reports from various Committes.
Chairman of Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Ahmed Wadada sent the Auditor General, S.K Chira and his team packing due to ill-preparation and lack of diligent handling of his documents.
Chira appeared before the Commutree unprepared and could not answer questions posed to him concerning the 2024 budget performance his office.
Anger stirred up as a copy of budget documents being read by the Auditor General was different from copies made available to the Committee members.
But allying fears of missing the budget chances, Wadada told the press after the Committee meeting that: “It is left for the Auditor General for the Federation to go get prepared and return, even in two hours now that he has been told that Wednesday is the deadline.
“He is the Auditoe General auditing government agencies, Senate Public Accounts Committee is statutorily empowered to audit his office.
JONAS EZIEKE, Abuja
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement has kicked against the inclusion of several items including training of lawmakers in the 2025 budget proposal of the Bureau of Public Procurement BPP.
Chairman of the House Committee, Hon.Unyime Idem and other lawmakers asked the Director-General of the the agency Dr.Adebowale Adedokun to recall some of the items of the budget and to apologize to members for including the training of lawmakers in it.
The budget session which included a review of the 2024 budget of the agency and presentation of the 2025 budget proposal was highly tense as the House said it would receive the documents, work on it and get back to the agency.
The Chairman Hon Idem in opening remarks said that there is significant time improvement in the public procurement process of the country by the agency.
He noted that an improvement in the nation’s procurement procurement process will also result in an improvement in the governance process.
He presented a budget proposal of N7.275 bn for 2025, including the completion of the new office, training of lawmakers monitoring and evaluation, and other line items.
The lawmaker and other committee members however were rattled when the DG said that they have trained over 7,000 public servants of Ministries Department and Agencies MDAs on procurement processes
He added that they have plans to train more public servants including the lawmakers in the 2025 budget of the agency.
Members of the House however rejected the proposal saying that it is not part of the mandate of the agency.
Other committee members Hon Dominic Okafor (Anambra, APGA) and Hon.Billy Osawaru (Edo, APC) also spoke against some other items of the budget.
The Committee Chairman Hon.Idem said that it is wrong to add training of lawmakers in the line item of the budget as they are supposed to be oversighting the agency.
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The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has announced that Nigeria’s economy is making substantial progress in recovery and growth.
According to reports, Edun made this statement on Monday in Abuja during the 2025 budget defense before the Senate Committee on Finance.
The Ministry’s spokesman, Mohammed Manga, noted that Edun was accompanied by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Permanent Secretary Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, and other Ministry directors.
He detailed the efforts of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to stabilize the economy through critical reforms and fiscal policies.
Edun emphasized the wide-ranging impact of these reforms, including the “liberalization of the foreign exchange market, deregulation of petroleum pricing, and the expansion of domestic refining capacity.”
While acknowledging the discomfort caused by some of these measures, the Minister stressed their positive long-term effects on economic growth.
“These reforms are driving fiscal stability, reducing inefficiencies, and creating a more sustainable economic framework. Though they may bring short-term discomfort, their long-term benefits will include job creation, poverty reduction, and enhanced economic resilience,” he said.
He also highlighted the government’s focus on infrastructure development, particularly in digital networks and energy, as part of efforts to boost productivity and attract private sector investment.
The Senate Committee on Finance approved the Ministry’s ₦38 billion 2025 budget, commending its leadership for upholding fiscal discipline and supporting economic recovery.
Expressing optimism about Nigeria’s economic future, Edun stated, “These reforms will transform the country’s economic landscape and improve the standard of living for its citizens.”
Ignatius Okorocha, Abuja
The National Assembly Monday summoned the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun along with his counterpart in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning , Senator Atiku Bagudu and Director – General of the Budget Office , Tanimu Yakubu over miserable budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Solid Minerals in 2025 fiscal year .
Summoning of the trio by the National Assembly through its joint Committee on Solid Minerals , followed refusal of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning to appear before it as directed last week Wednesday .
The joint committee chaired by Senator Sampson Ekong ( PDP Akwa Ibom South), Committee had last week when the Minister of Solid Minerals , Mr Dele Alake appeared before it for 2025 budget defence session, frowned at N9billion proposed as capital vote for the Ministry in the 2025 fiscal year .
It accordingly refused to consider the 2025 budget proposal for the Ministry and ordered the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning to appear before it on Monday this week .
Refusal of Bagudu to appear before the committee and lengthy lamentations made by the Minister of Solid Minerals on failed efforts made to get the N9billion budgetary proposal reviewed upward through the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning , made the joint committee to include the l of the Budget office in the summoning order .
The summoned Ministers and the DG Budget, as announced by the committee chairman , are to appear before the committee by 3pm on Tuesday this week .
” Hon Minister , we are satisfied with spirited efforts put up by you to get the N9billion budgetary proposal for your Ministry in 2025 reviewed upward by the Ministers in charge and DG budget office but disappointed that despite the efforts, nothing has been added to the proposed N9billion .
” Solid Minerals is a very vital sector needed for diversification of the Nation’s economy. We declared last week that the N9billion proposed for the Ministry for the 2025 fiscal year was grossly in adequate and rejected the proposal but surprised that it is the same proposal the Minister came with today .
” Therefore , in line with resolution taken now , this joint committee stiill rejects the N9billion proposal for the Solid Minerals Ministry and summoned the Ministers of Finance , Budget and Economic Planning and the DG Budget , to apprar before it tomorrow ( Tuesday) , by 3pm prompt .”, he said.
Earlier in his lamentation, the Minister of Solid Minerals , Dele Alake , chronicled all the efforts he made before presentation of the N49.7trillion 2025 budget to joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 by President Bola Tinubu and even up till last week , to get N9billion allocation for solid Minerals reviewed upward without success .
” I met the President on the need for upward review of the N9billion budgetary proposal for the Ministry of Solid Minerals , met the Minister of Finance , met his counterpart in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and also met the Director – General of the Budget Office.
” They all gave assurances upon assurances to get the N9billion proposal reviewed upward but surprised that up toll now , that I’m seated before this joint committee , nothing of such , has been done “, he said .
Irked by the Minister’s lamentation , a member of the committee , Hon Kama Nkemkanma from Delta State , alleged that the 2025 budget is a budget of sabotage because critical sectors, needed to drive the economy are grossly underfunded .
” The affected Ministers and the DG Budget office , must appear before this joint committee as resolved “, he said .
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has called for increased funding for seven critical housing sector programmes.
These projects, he said, include the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Housing Programme, Slum Upgrading and Urban Renewal Programme, among others.
Dangiwa made the appeal during the budget defence session of the Senate Committee on Housing, held on Monday at the National Assembly Complex.
“I wish to request that the Distinguished Chairman and Members of this very important Committee use their good offices to increase the budgetary allocation in seven key areas.
“This is in view of the fact that these areas are very critical to the transformative policies and programmes of Mr President, aimed at putting the economy on the path of recovery and growth.
“It is pertinent to state here that in the 2024 fiscal year, the sum of N162.609 billion was allocated to our Ministry, which was considered inadequate.
“Yet, we have been given an envelope of N83.752 billion as the Ministry’s Capital Budget Ceiling for 2025, which is far below even the 2024 appropriation,” he said.
According to Dangiwa, the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Housing Programme is designed to act as a catalyst for economic growth.
“The construction and development of these new areas will generate employment opportunities, stimulate local businesses, and attract investments.
“The 50,000 units planned under Phase I will create 1,250,000 direct and indirect construction jobs for architects, engineers, plumbers, iron benders, masons, and others.
“This is in addition to the value chain effect of purchasing and supplying building materials and other businesses.
“Currently, we have covered 12 states and would like to cover 18 states, with 250 units per site. The amount needed to achieve this is N108 billion, at N6 billion per state,” he said.
He added that the Slum Upgrading and Urban Renewal Programme also required increased budgetary allocation.
“Currently, there are ongoing programmes in four states within each geopolitical zone, including the FCT.
“This means four sites in four states of each geopolitical zone, along with four sites in the FCT, bringing the total to 100 sites. At least N100 billion is needed to achieve better results,” he said.
Dangiwa further highlighted the ministry’s significant liabilities, which stem from completed and duly certified projects that could not be paid for by the end of the budgetary year due to limited funds.
“There is a need to make adequate provision for liabilities to enable the Ministry to reduce its exposure.
“The Ministry has over N92 billion in liabilities but would need nothing less than N60 billion in the 2025 budget to mitigate this burden,” he said.
In his remarks, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, assured the minister of the committee’s support in addressing the liabilities.
“We will support you by making sure that we work together to approach the Minister of Finance, the Budget Office, and even the Presidency.
“We will explore how best we can secure debt relief for the Ministry and for our contractors,” he said.
Man cries out for advice as his fiancée insists on a N13M budget for their wedding, despite knowing he earns N1.5M monthly.
The embattled man shared his plight anonymously, as he lamented over his situation.
According to the man, his girlfriend wants a grand wedding with all the usual fanfare.
He revealed that she brought up a budget of N13M for the event.
Knowing that he earns N1.5M monthly, he noted that spending his annual salary on the wedding is impossible and asked for it to be cut to N6m.
However, his partner is firm about it, asking him to save up.
His words …
“Good day, boss. I need your advice urgently regarding a situation with my fiancée. We’re planning our wedding, and she has expressed her desire for a grand event, including a vow ceremony, traditional rites, and a reception for about 500 guests.
She also wants a “serve yourself” arrangement for the visitors and other lovely setups. When we consulted an event planner, the total estimate came to N13 million. My monthly salary is N1.5 million, and I explained to her that spending my entire annual salary ona wedding is impractical.
I proposed a budget of 5 million to N6 million instead, but she accused me of being stingy.
She also argued that her family size and expectations warrant even more than N13 million, claiming she is already being considerate. To make matters worse, she said that if I can’t afford N13 million now
I should save up because she doesn’t want to disappoint her sisters. I’m standing firm on my decision not to spend my entire annual income on the wedding, but I’m at a crossroads. How should I handle this situation?”
See post below …
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has sought urgent attention for the Ukpogo Cottage Hospital in Okene, which is an annex of the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, in the 2025 budget.
The lawmaker, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, said the call became necessary to ensure that the hospital’s operations are up to par, providing quality healthcare services to the community.
Speaking during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Health with the heads of various federal medical centers, Akpoti-Uduaghan highlighted the troubling state of Ukpogo Cottage Hospital, noting that despite significant federal investment, it has not been operational, failing to meet its intended purpose.
“There is a facility annexed to you called the Ukpogo Cottage Hospital, Okene. It’s a 50-bed capacity, fully equipped hospital. Why has it not been operational, considering the fact that it is an extension of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, and was established purposely to cater for accidents and armed robbery cases along the busy Okene-Auchi road?,” she queried.
The lawmaker also demanded to know if the operationality of the facility was captured in the 2025 budget.
In response, Dr. Olatunde Alabi, the Chief Medical Director of FMC Lokoja, explained that the facility was handed over to them four years ago.
He acknowledged that efforts had been made to make it functional, but progress has been impeded.
Alabi mentioned that attempts to assign staff to the facility were unsuccessful due to a shortage of personnel at FMC Lokoja.
He appealed to the committee for intervention, emphasising that making the facility operational would greatly alleviate the patient load at FMC Lokoja, particularly from the Kogi Central area.
He also warned that the equipment at Ukpogo Cottage Hospital is deteriorating due to lack of use, and if the facility remains non-operational, it will worsen.
Two labour unions at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, have thrown their full weight behind the proposed increase in allocation for staff feeding in the 2025 budget, saying the move is key to improving the level of productivity in the Board.
The unions, the National Association of Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU, and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, clarified the rationale behind the N1.1 billion proposed in the 2025 budget for the feeding scheme, countering recent misrepresentations about the figure.
Speaking during a health walk organized by JAMB to kickstart its 2025 activities in Abuja at the weekend, NASU JAMB Chapter Chairman, Andrew Onakpa, said the plan aims to expand free lunch provision for staff, previously exclusive to the headquarters, to over 2,300 staff across JAMB’s 44 offices nationwide.
Onakps said efforts by the Registrar to address staff welfare are humane and should not be discouraged, noting that an improved feeding scheme will enhance staff performance.
He explained that the union pushed for the inclusion of other JAMB offices and that staff were part of the negotiations with vendors to ensure transparency in the process.
“We have over 2,300 staff in more than 44 offices nationwide. When you calculate the cost of feeding across all working days in a year, the figure is understandably significant. It’s not about mismanagement; it’s about improving welfare,” he said.
He expressed concern over the backlash from the National Assembly during JAMB’s recent budget defence, warning it could jeopardize these initiatives.
On his part, ASCSN JAMB Branch Chairman, Ebenezer Ayalibola, echoed Onakpa’s sentiments, emphasizing that the welfare committee meticulously calculated the feeding budget.
“This includes staff in outstations. If you multiply the agreed amount per staff per day across 12 months, the figure will naturally add up to N1.1 billion. This was a collective decision by the welfare committee, not the Registrar acting alone,” Ayalibola said.
Addressing the N850 million reportedly proposed for fumigation, Ayalibola explained that the figure encompasses all cleaning services, fumigation, and security across JAMB’s offices nationwide.
“As for the fumigation, that money was not for just fumigation alone but along with all cleaning services and security for a year at all our offices nationwide too.
” The aggregate of all the salaries for our contractors who do all the services is what constituted that N850 million.
“These costs include the salaries of contractors providing these essential services,” he clarified.
Ayalibola noted that the welfare measures are part of JAMB’s Condition of Service, which is periodically reviewed and subject to National Assembly approval.
Recall that JAMB had during a budget defence exercise in the National Assembly last week presented a proposal for an increase of staff feeding in 2025 to N1.1 billion.
The amount was reached following a review and considering the rise in the cost of meals from N1, 200 per day to N2,200 due to rising food prices as well as the expansion of the scheme to cover 2,300 staff members throughout the working days in 2025.
The cost was projected to be N1.27 billion but JAMB budgeted N1.1 billion for this purpose.
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