The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday passed the 2025 budget for Rivers State, authorizing the issuance of N1.485 trillion from the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. This approval came after the third reading of the appropriation bill on the Senate floor and followed a detailed review of the report from the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State during the Committee of Supply session.
The budget breakdown allocates N120.8 billion for debt servicing, N287.38 billion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and a substantial N1.077 trillion for capital expenditure aimed at infrastructure development and revitalizing key sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, and security.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), while supporting the passage, raised concerns about the additional N50 billion earmarked for outstanding pensions and gratuities. He urged the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee to exercise rigorous oversight to ensure these funds reach the rightful beneficiaries without delay.
This budget follows the suspension of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the declaration of emergency rule in the state. President Bola Tinubu submitted the appropriation bill to the National Assembly in May 2025, after the Supreme Court nullified the 2025 budget presented by the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The Senate has since assumed legislative powers over Rivers State under the emergency administration.
The swift passage of the budget reflects the urgency to restore governance and accelerate development in Rivers State. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the passage after most senators supported it through voice votes, emphasizing the need for the budget to address the state’s pressing development challenges.
With the Senate’s approval, the Rivers State 2025 budget will now proceed for presidential assent and implementation, marking a critical step in stabilizing and advancing the state’s socio-economic agenda under the emergency administration.