By Abba -Eku Onyeka, Abuja
The National Assembly has made corrections to the 2025 budget, by adjusting allocations for federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in response to identified errors.
The changes include a reduction of N500 billion in the initial Capital Expenditure and an increase of N500 billion in the Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure.
These adjustments ensure that the total budget remains unchanged at N54.9 trillion, despite shifts in individual line items.
The motion to amend the budget was sponsored by Senator Adeola Olamilekan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and debated by the Committee of yesterday in Abuja.
The key amendments included an increase in Recurrent Expenditure, which was raised from N13 trillion to N13.5 trillion, while Capital Expenditure was reduced from N23.9 trillion to N23.4 trillion.
It is reported that the National Assembly had initially passed the budget on February 13, increasing President Bola Tinubu’s proposal from N54.2 trillion to N54.9 trillion, marking an upward revision of about N750 billion.
The earlier approved budget included N3.6 trillion for Statutory Transfers, N14.3 trillion for Debt Service, N23.9 trillion for Capital Expenditure, and N13.8 trillion for the Fiscal Deficit.
However, a review of the budget revealed errors in certain allocations, prompting the amendments. Senator Olamilekan recommended that the adjustments not affect the overall budget figure but correct discrepancies in the allocation for specific ministries. Despite these adjustments, President Tinubu has yet to give his assent to the revised budget.
Among the significant changes, allocations for some ministries were revised. The Ministry of Defence saw a slight reduction in its allocation, from N2.51 trillion to N2.49 trillion, while the Ministry of Police Affairs was adjusted from N1.225 trillion to N1.224 trillion. Additionally, pension allocations received a notable increase, with Total Pensions, Gratuity, and Retirement Benefits rising from N950 billion to N1.44 trillion. Military Pensions and Gratuities were also adjusted upward from N252.6 billion to N383.9 billion.
On the Capital Expenditure side, adjustments included a reduction in the Presidency’s allocation from N144.4 billion to N142.7 billion, as well as decreases in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (from N1.95 trillion to N1.83 trillion) and the Federal Ministry of Education (from N953.9 billion to N944.6 billion).
Senator Olamilekan’s motion underscores the importance of transparency and clarity in the budgetary process, ensuring that public funds are correctly allocated to the right areas of need. The motion is set to be deliberated further, and if passed, these corrections will be reflected in the final version of the 2025 Appropriation Bill.
