President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally written to the National Assembly, requesting an extension of the lifespan of the 2025 Appropriation Act from its original timeline to March 2026.
The request was contained in a letter dated December 18, 2025, and read during Friday’s plenary session by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen.
In the correspondence, President Tinubu also sought legislative approval to consolidate the capital components of the 2024 and 2025 budgets, a move he says will enhance fiscal discipline.
The President clarified that Friday’s letter supersedes an earlier one dated December 16, which was also sent to the lawmakers for the same purpose.
Explaining the rationale behind the request, Tinubu said the extension aligns with his administration’s broader fiscal reform measures aimed at ending the current practice of multiple concurrently running budgets.
The letter reads, “I hereby transmit to the House of Representatives the enclosed Appropriation (Repeal and Re-Enactment Bills), 2024 and 2025, for the consideration of the National Assembly, in accordance with the established constitutional and legislative appropriation process.
“The Bills seek to repeal the 2024 Appropriation Act of ₦35,055,536,770,218 and re-enact by authorising the issuance from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation of the total sum of ₦43,561,041,744,507 comprising ₦1,742,786,788,150 for Statutory Transfers, ₦8,270,960,606,831 for Debt Service, ₦11,268,513,380,853 for Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure, and ₦22,278,780,968,673 for Capital Expenditure/Development Fund contributions for the year ending 31st’ December 2025 as provided in the Bill).
“It also seeks to repeal The 2025 Appropriation Act of ₦54,990,165,355,396 and re-enact by authorising the issuance from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation of the total sum of ₦48,316,242,591,785 comprising ₦3,645,761,358,925 for Statutory Transfers, ₦14,317,142,689,548 for Debt Service, ₦13,588,009,682,673 for Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure, and ₦16,765,328,860,640 for Capital Expenditure/Development Fund contribution, for the year ending 31§t March, 2026 (as provided in the Bill).
“The House of Representatives is invited to note that the Bills are submitted to cater for all items not previously recognised, while also reflecting a revised capital implementation target of 30%.
“In addition to this, adjustment aligns with current fiscal realities and execution capacities, while ensuring that budget performance remains credible and transparent. It further seeks to extend the 2025 Budget to March 31st, 2026, to allow for full release of the target 30% for ALL MDAs
“This is part of a broader fiscal reform measure aimed at eliminating the overlap of multiple concurrently running budgets, thereby strengthening planning, execution, and accountability across government expenditure cycles.
“It further provides a transparent and constitutionally grounded appropriation mechanism and prudent public financial management framework.
“The Bills also strengthen implementation discipline and accountability by, among other provisions: requiring that appropriated funds are released and applied strictly for the purposes specified in the Schedules; providing that virement may only be effected with prior approval of the National Assembly; setting out conditions for corrigenda where genuine errors may hinder implementation; requiring separate recording of excess revenue and limiting its expenditure to an Act or approval of the National Assembly; and mandating due process compliance and periodic reporting on releases and agency revenues/assistance. ;
“The House of Representatives is invited to note that this letter supersedes my earlier submission vide PRES/134/50/S/ARRENB dated 16″ December, 2025.”
He appealed to the lawmakers to consider the passage of the Bills in their usual expeditious manner.