Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has presented the 2027 Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly, christened the "Budget of Assured Prosperity for Sustainable Growth and Development". The bill, which totals N1.242 trillion, is based on a projected revenue of N1,242,688,970,520.22. According to the governor, the 2027 proposals were derived from broad stakeholder engagements involving traditional rulers, technical experts, the organised private sector, and citizens across the state.
The governor stated that the fiscal priorities of his administration remain clear, focusing on roads and bridges that connect communities, better health and education services, reliable power, and an environment that allows businesses and families to thrive. The proposed budget allocates N840.791 billion, approximately 68%, to capital expenditure, while recurrent expenditure is put at N401.897 billion, representing approximately 32%. This represents a 22% increase from the 2026 fiscal year budget of N1.016 trillion.
Some strategic projects that will continue to receive priority attention in 2027 include the Ekeremor-Agge Road Phase I, Nembe-Brass Road Phase I, Akaba-Ayakoro Road with spur to Otuegwe 1, Glory Drive Phase 3, Agbere-Elemebiri Road, the 30,000-seater stadium at Igbogene, and the nine-storey state secretariat complex. The governor expressed confidence that with work progressing on the three senatorial roads, all local government headquarters will be connected to the state capital, boosting socio-economic activities across the state.
The sectoral allocations in the proposed budget show that Works and Infrastructure will receive the lion's share of N422.84 billion, followed by Education with N126.97 billion, and Sports with N68.50 billion. Health will receive N53.32 billion, Security N24 billion, Public Utilities N22.94 billion, and Agriculture N17.74 billion. The governor charged the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to enforce coordination, transparency, and accountability to ensure effective implementation of the budget.
Governor Diri also outlined plans to improve the state's education sector, including upgrading model schools, supporting accreditation of programmes in tertiary institutions, strengthening science and technical education, and introducing digital learning tools in schools. Additionally, the administration will pursue the upscaling of its 60 megawatts independent power plant to 100 megawatts and prioritize water provision in 2027.
The allocation to the sports sector will enable the government to accelerate work on the stadium project as the state prepares to host the National Sports Festival. Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Michael Ogbere, commended Governor Diri for his visionary leadership and successful implementation of the 2026 budget. He expressed confidence that the projects outlined in the 2027 budget are achievable and assured the governor of the 7th Assembly's support and speedy passage of the budget.
The Majority Leader, Rt. Hon. Monday Bubou, moved a motion for the members to pass a vote of confidence on Governor Diri and the administration, which was unanimously endorsed by the lawmakers. With the presentation of the 2027 Appropriation Bill, Governor Diri aims to sustain investments in all local government areas and drive growth and development in Bayelsa State.
Key points
- The 2027 budget prioritizes infrastructure, education, and sports development.
- The budget allocates 68% to capital expenditure and 32% to recurrent expenditure.
- The governor aims to connect all local government headquarters to the state capital and boost socio-economic activities.
