The National Assembly has approved the 2026 Statutory Appropriation Bill for the Federal Capital Territory, authorising a total expenditure of N2.285tn for its administration and development.
The approval followed the consideration of a harmonised report by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the FCT during Thursday’s plenary session.
The report was presented by Senator Austin Akobundu on behalf of the committee leadership.
According to the committee, the budget was drawn from a projected revenue of N2.385tn and structured to prioritise infrastructure development and public service delivery.
A breakdown shows N165.7bn allocated for personnel costs, N378.2bn for overhead expenditure, and N1.741tn for capital projects.
Lawmakers said about 76.19 per cent of the budget is dedicated to capital expenditure, while 23.8 per cent covers recurrent spending.
The committee noted that the budget proposal was developed after extensive consultations with officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
During debate, Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, described the appropriation as a strong and development-focused financial plan, praising its emphasis on infrastructure.
Other lawmakers, including Senator Abdul Ningi, also commended the structure of the budget, saying it addressed earlier concerns raised during oversight sessions.
The Senate subsequently passed the bill for third reading, paving the way for presidential assent.
In the House of Representatives, lawmakers also approved the FCT budget alongside the 2026 appropriation for the Niger Delta Development Commission.
Chairman of the House Committee on the FCT, Muktar Betara, said the N2.29tn FCT proposal was designed to cover personnel costs, overheads, and key infrastructure projects.
Out of the total, N165.78bn was allocated to personnel costs, N378.23bn to overheads, while N1.74tn was earmarked for capital projects.
The House also approved sectoral allocations including N162bn for education, N758.15bn for engineering services, and N212.74bn for satellite town development.
Security services within the FCT received N6.79bn, while pilgrims welfare boards were allocated N1.51bn for Muslim affairs and N910.20m for Christian operations.
For the NDDC, lawmakers approved N1.75tn, with N1.63tn dedicated to development projects across the Niger Delta region.
The approval is expected to accelerate infrastructure development in the FCT and boost intervention projects in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, where concerns over underdevelopment and environmental challenges persist.
