The Senate on Thursday approved a three-month extension of the implementation period for the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act, shifting the deadline from June 30, 2026, to September 30, 2026.
The resolution followed a motion moved by Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno (Borno North) after senators emerged from a closed-door executive session, where concerns were raised about the need to ensure the completion of ongoing projects and the utilization of funds already released for capital expenditure.
Before considering the motion, the Senate first voted to extend its sitting beyond the normal adjournment time of 3 p.m. to accommodate deliberations on the matter.
Presiding over the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the motion to a voice vote.
“Those in support that we raise our sitting time beyond 3 o’clock say aye; those against say nay. The ayes have it,” Akpabio ruled.
Moving the motion, Monguno said the extension had become necessary because a substantial portion of funds released to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for the implementation of projects under the 2025 budget remained unutilized.
According to him, delays caused by procurement processes, project implementation challenges, and administrative procedures had slowed the execution of several critical government projects.
Monguno noted that many strategic projects across key sectors of the economy were already at advanced stages of completion and required additional time for execution, certification, and payment.
“Failure to extend the implementation period of the 2025 Appropriation Act may result in the abandonment of critical projects, the wastage of already committed public resources, and the disruption of ongoing government interventions,” he said.
The Senate Chief Whip further argued that some allocations contained in the budget might not be accommodated in subsequent appropriation cycles if the implementation window expired, thereby creating funding gaps and undermining development objectives.
He maintained that extending the validity period of the budget would improve budget performance, facilitate the efficient utilization of released funds, and support economic growth.
“Granting a further extension of the implementation period is in the national interest and will ensure value for money in public expenditure,” he stated.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Ogun West), who supported the motion, explained that the extension was specifically targeted at the capital component of the budget.
He recalled that when President Bola Tinubu presented the 2025 budget to the National Assembly, there was an understanding that 30 per cent of the budget implementation would be completed by March 31, 2026, while the remaining 70 per cent would be rolled into the 2026 budget.
According to Adeola, that implementation timeline was not fully achieved, prompting the National Assembly to earlier extend the budget’s lifespan to June 30, 2026.
“While we were passing the 2026 budget, due to the non-implementation of that promise, we were forced to extend the budget to June 30, 2026,” he said.
He added that although payments had commenced, significant obligations remained outstanding.
“There is a need to extend this budget beyond June 30, 2026, to September 30, 2026. By then, we are hopeful that the outstanding 30 per cent will have been paid in full, while implementation of the components transferred to the 2026 budget can commence.”
Adeola urged senators to support the extension to ensure the proper implementation of projects and prevent disruptions to government programmes.
The motion received further support from Senator Victor Umeh, who seconded the proposal, citing the need to sustain the execution of projects captured under the 2025 Appropriation Act.
“In view of the need to sustain the continued execution of the projects covered in the 2025 Appropriation Act, as amended, I hereby second the motion,” Umeh said.
Following deliberations, Senate President Akpabio put the proposal to a voice vote, and it was overwhelmingly adopted by lawmakers.
“Those who support that this budget deadline be extended to September 30, 2026, say aye. Those against say nay. The ayes have it,” Akpabio declared.
He subsequently announced that the Senate had formally extended the implementation period of the 2025 budget from June 30 to September 30, 2026.
Akpabio said the decision was necessary to prevent interruptions in payments and project execution.
“The payment would have stopped halfway if this was not done,” he said.
The Senate President commended the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and other lawmakers involved in bringing the matter before the chamber.
He further directed that the Senate’s resolution be transmitted to the Executive for implementation.
“Accordingly, the resolution of the Senate is being communicated to the Executive that the 2025 Appropriation Act has been extended to September 30, 2026.”
LEADERSHIP recalls that the National Assembly had earlier extended the implementation period of the 2025 budget to June 30, 2026, following delays in the release and utilization of capital funds.
Budget extensions have become a recurring mechanism used by the Federal Government and the National Assembly to ensure the continuity of major infrastructure and development projects whose implementation timelines extend beyond the original fiscal window.
The latest extension is expected to provide MDAs with additional time to complete ongoing projects, process outstanding payments, and maximize the utilization of funds already appropriated under the 2025 fiscal framework.
