December 17, 2025 — Dalena Reporters
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally written to the House of Representatives, asking lawmakers to approve the release of ₦43.56 trillion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation under the Appropriation (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2024–2025, in a bid to end the practice of running multiple budgets concurrently and improve fiscal discipline.
Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter transmitted to the Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, and read at Wednesday’s plenary by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session. The President said the measure is designed to introduce a more orderly and transparent budget framework and accommodate critical expenditures already made in response to urgent national needs.
According to the letter, the ₦43,561,041,744,507 appropriation will fund statutory transfers, debt service, recurrent (non-debt) expenditures and capital expenditure/development fund contributions. Tinubu said the re-enactment is essential to stop the overlapping of multiple budgets in a single fiscal year — a practice previously criticised for weakening accountability and undermining planning.
Tinubu also highlighted provisions in the bill that would strengthen fiscal controls, including requiring prior National Assembly approval for virement (budget transfers), clearly defined conditions for correcting genuine errors (corrigenda), and separate recording of excess revenues, which would only be spendable with specific legislative approval.
The President emphasised that the bill would reinforce fiscal discipline, accountability and prudent public financial management, while ensuring that emergency and time-sensitive expenditures undertaken for national security and public welfare are legitimate and transparent.
Appealing for expedited legislative action, Tinubu urged the House to consider and pass the proposal swiftly to allow for improved budget implementation and public financial management.
The House has completed the first and second readings of the bill, with the Deputy Speaker referring it to the House Committee on Appropriation for further scrutiny.