Senate Approves N1.7tn FCT Budget in Second Reading

The Nigerian Senate has advanced the N1.7 trillion 2025 budget proposal for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to its second reading stage.

The budget, presented by President Bola Tinubu, is designed to fund infrastructure projects and improve public services across the capital territory.

Leading the discussion at Wednesday’s plenary, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele highlighted the bill’s focus on authorizing spending from the FCT’s Statutory Revenue Fund to cover personnel costs, operational expenses, and capital development.

According to Bamidele, the proposal earmarks N150 billion for salaries, N343 billion for overheads, and over N1.2 trillion—more than 70% of the total—for capital expenditure. He emphasized that the bulk of the funds would be used to complete ongoing infrastructure projects, with a few new but critical initiatives also included.

Senators Support Capital Focus

Several lawmakers praised the capital-heavy nature of the budget, advocating for its swift passage.

Senator Mohammed Monguno argued that prioritizing unfinished projects would reduce waste caused by abandoned developments. Senator Oyelola Ashiru described the spending plan as well-balanced, noting the 70:30 capital-to-recurrent ratio as appropriate to meet the territory’s development needs.

Senator Adetokunbo Abiru agreed with the bill’s intent but called for clarity on how the capital projects will be financed. Meanwhile, Senator Victor Umeh commended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s leadership, citing visible changes in the territory and urging the expansion of infrastructure to surrounding communities to curb rising housing costs in central Abuja.

The bill has been forwarded to the Senate Committee on FCT, which is expected to report back within a week.