Godsent Ogbebor
2026 Budget Raised to ₦58.18tn as Tinubu Prioritises Security Recruitment
The Federal Government has increased its proposed 2026 budget to ₦58.18 trillion, signalling a stronger emphasis on security as President Bola Tinubu moves to expand recruitment across the military, police and other security agencies.
The upward review, from the ₦54.46 trillion earlier outlined in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, was confirmed by the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, following a meeting of the Federal Executive Council on Friday, just hours before the budget was presented to the National Assembly.
Presidency sources said the adjustment became unavoidable after the President announced a major expansion in security personnel, even though budget submissions from Ministries, Departments and Agencies had already been concluded. The increase is intended to absorb the additional wage and operational costs tied to the new recruitment drive.
Officials said the Federal Executive Council meeting ahead of the announcement was brief and did not allow for in-depth debate on the revised figures. Nevertheless, the President proceeded with the presentation to underline his administration’s resolve to ensure early passage of the budget, despite delays in the overall budget cycle. Further refinements are expected during legislative reviews and budget defence sessions.
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At ₦58.18 trillion, the 2026 proposal represents a six per cent rise on the 2025 budget estimate of ₦49.7 trillion. The total expenditure includes ₦4.98 trillion in projected spending by government-owned enterprises and ₦1.37 trillion allocated to grants and donor-funded projects.
Debt servicing is projected at ₦15.52 trillion, including ₦3.388 trillion set aside for a sinking fund, while statutory transfers stand at ₦4.1 trillion. Personnel costs, including pensions, are estimated at ₦10.75 trillion, reflecting a seven per cent increase on the previous year, alongside overhead costs of ₦2.22 trillion.
With expected revenue of ₦34.33 trillion against planned spending of ₦58.18 trillion, the budget deficit is forecast at ₦23.85 trillion, or 4.28 per cent of GDP. Recurrent non-debt expenditure is put at ₦15.25 trillion, while capital spending is estimated at ₦26.08 trillion.
Security commands the largest sectoral allocation at ₦5.41 trillion, reinforcing the administration’s focus on tackling insecurity. Infrastructure follows with ₦3.56 trillion, while education and health receive ₦3.52 trillion and ₦2.48 trillion, respectively. Non-oil revenue is expected to provide nearly two-thirds of total government income, highlighting a continued effort to reduce reliance on oil earnings.
