President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed into law a fresh amendment extending the implementation of the 2025 federal budget to December 31, 2026. This move gives Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) an additional three months to complete ongoing capital projects. The President assented to the Appropriation (Amendment) (No. 4) Bill, 2025, following its passage by the Senate and House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 29.
The latest amendment shifts the expiration of the 2025 budget from September 30 to December 31, effectively allowing implementation to continue until the end of the current calendar year. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the presidential assent in a statement issued on Wednesday. According to the Presidency, the extension is intended to prevent disruption to critical projects and programmes for which funds had already been appropriated.
The extension gives MDAs sufficient time to complete ongoing capital projects and ensure that appropriated funds are fully deployed for their intended purposes. The Presidency stated that the move ensures funds already appropriated are fully put to work for Nigerians, without disrupting critical programmes. This development is expected to enhance project completion rates across the country.
This is not the first adjustment to the lifespan of the 2025 appropriation. Earlier in April, Tinubu signed legislation extending the implementation of the capital component of the 2025 budget from March 31 to June 30. The Presidency said at the time that the measure was designed to enable MDAs to consolidate ongoing works and improve project completion rates.
The Federal Government has maintained that extensions to appropriation laws are backed by legislative authorisation and are intended to ensure the effective utilisation of funds already approved for projects and programmes. The government has expressed satisfaction with the cooperation between the Executive and the Legislature in addressing national priorities.
President Tinubu commended the leadership and members of the National Assembly for their prompt consideration and passage of the amendment. The Presidency described the speedy legislative action as a reflection of continued cooperation between the Executive and the Legislature. This cooperation is expected to yield positive results in the implementation of the budget.
The extension of the 2025 budget implementation to December 31 is expected to have a positive impact on the country's development landscape. With the additional time, MDAs can complete ongoing projects, and the government can ensure that appropriated funds are utilised effectively. This move is in line with the government's efforts to ensure that funds are fully deployed for the intended purposes.
Key points
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signs fourth amendment to Appropriation Act, extending 2025 budget implementation to December 31.
- The extension gives Ministries, Departments and Agencies more time to complete ongoing capital projects.
- The move ensures funds already appropriated are fully put to work for Nigerians, without disrupting critical programmes.
