President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted the 2026 Statutory Budget Proposal of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and two bills to the House of Representatives for consideration and passage. The submissions were made in separate letters addressed to the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, on August 20 and 24, 2026. The NDDC budget proposal is in line with Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution.
The 2026 NDDC budget proposal was prepared based on the commission's revenue and expenditure forecasts, aligned with the fiscal and developmental policies of the Federal Government and the Renewed Hope Agenda. The proposal also considered the 2024-2026 Economic Recovery Growth Plan and key assumptions of the 2026 Appropriation Act of the Federal Government.
According to Tinubu, the NDDC had prioritised youth empowerment, energy and power supply, education, industrial and enterprise development, health, security, and increased agricultural productivity. These priorities aim to lift a significant number of citizens out of poverty. The president expressed hope that the House would give the budget proposal timely consideration and passage.
In another letter, Tinubu transmitted the National Postgraduate Medical College (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to the House for consideration. The bill seeks to reflect the change in the institutional name of the college and expand its mandate to include the award of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degrees in Clinical Medicine, Dentistry, and related fields.
The president also transmitted the National Research Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026, to the House for legislative action. The proposed law aims to consolidate research financing, ensure more efficient utilisation of resources, and bring fragmented research and development funds across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) under a National Research Development Fund.
The proposed National Research Development Fund would serve as a central mechanism for research agencies and academic institutions to access funding. It would operate as a competitive central funding mechanism, fostering collaboration among research agencies, academia, and the private sector, and support innovation, streamline resource allocation, and promote transparency in funding decisions.
The National Research Development Fund would be established as an agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, with direct funding from the Nigeria Content Development Fund (NCDF). The bill aims to address the proliferation of research institutes and agencies operating in the research, development, and commercialisation space.
Key points
- President Tinubu submits 2026 NDDC budget proposal to House of Representatives
- National Postgraduate Medical College (Amendment) Bill, 2026, transmitted to House
- National Research Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026, proposed to consolidate research financing
