Kwara Assembly passes ‘increased’ 2026 budget into law

The Kwara State House of Assembly has passed the 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, approving a revised budget of ₦656.5 billion—₦10.5 billion higher than the proposal earlier submitted by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

The bill was passed on Friday following the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation during plenary.

Announcing the approval, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Salihu, said the upward adjustment was the outcome of detailed scrutiny aimed at ensuring fiscal realism, effective implementation, and tangible benefits for residents of the state.

He noted that the revised budget underscores the legislature’s commitment to aligning government spending with developmental priorities and prevailing economic conditions.

A breakdown of the approved estimates shows that recurrent expenditure rose to over ₦409.6 billion, reflecting an increase of about ₦10.5 billion from the executive’s original submission.

Capital expenditure was also raised to ₦271 billion from ₦254 billion to boost funding for critical infrastructure and development projects across Kwara State.

According to the Speaker, the adjustments were necessary to accelerate key projects and improve service delivery in line with the administration’s development agenda.

He further disclosed that debt servicing for the 2026 fiscal year is now pegged at ₦14.2 billion, slightly above the earlier projection.

Salihu assured that the House carefully examined the budget in accordance with constitutional provisions and approved a realistic, people-focused spending plan, adding that the legislature would sustain its oversight role to ensure prudent implementation and accountability in the use of public funds.