by George Ozalla
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has said the presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reflects a clear strategy to position Nigeria for economic resilience and sustained growth despite prevailing global challenges.
Kalu stated this on Tuesday after joining members of the House of Representatives and the Senate at a joint sitting of the National Assembly where President Tinubu presented the 2026 budget proposal.
According to him, the budget, tagged Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity, projects revenues of N34 trillion with a managed deficit of N23.85 trillion, representing 4.28 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product. He noted that the figures demonstrate that the country is not only responding to global economic turbulence but is deliberately laying the groundwork for long-term stability and shared prosperity.
The Deputy Speaker said the National Assembly has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that the vision of the executive arm, as articulated by the President, is effectively translated into the Appropriation Act. He stressed that lawmakers would remain diligent and vigilant in scrutinising the budget to ensure that Ministries, Departments and Agencies align their proposals and implementation strictly with national objectives and the expectations of Nigerians.
Kalu expressed optimism about the country’s economic direction, noting that with courage, commitment and focus from all arms of government, Nigeria’s journey towards economic growth and prosperity remains firmly on course.
The presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill formally begins the legislative process of examining and approving government spending plans for the next fiscal year.
