by George Ozalla
The Rivers State Executive Council has approved a proposed N1.854 trillion budget for the 2026 fiscal year, christened the Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development.
The approval was granted on Friday, January 2, 2026, following deliberations at the first Executive Council meeting of the year held at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt. The meeting was presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, with the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, in attendance.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Economic Matters and Social Development, Prof. Peter Medee, disclosed that the council approved an aggregate budget size of N1,854,248,734,475.76 for the provision of goods and services in the state for the 2026 fiscal year.
He explained that the proposed estimate was carefully structured to reflect the development priorities of the administration while addressing critical obligations of the state. According to him, the main focus of the 2026 budget is to enable the government complete ongoing projects and settle outstanding obligations across key sectors.
Prof. Medee said priority areas captured in the proposed budget include infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, human capacity development, youth empowerment, culture, tourism, as well as information and communications technology.
He further announced that the council also approved the theme of the 2026 budget, noting that it aligns with the administration’s emphasis on recovery, consolidation and sustained progress despite prevailing challenges. He stated that the government has remained resilient and focused on achieving key development targets in fulfilment of its commitment to the people of Rivers State.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Honour Sirawoo, said the budget proposal underwent detailed scrutiny by the council before the approved figure was arrived at. He noted that the administration was deliberate in adopting what he described as a robust budget size, aimed at bridging development gaps and repositioning the state.
Dr. Sirawoo added that the government’s budgeting approach is anchored on value-for-money spending and the overall improvement of the welfare and living standards of residents of the state.
The Special Adviser on Finance, Barr. Emmanuel Frank Fubara, was also part of the post-meeting briefing.
The Rivers State Government is expected to transmit the approved 2026 budget proposal to the State House of Assembly for legislative consideration and passage, as part of the annual fiscal process of the state.
