Abbas urges realistic assumptions to ensure fiscal discipline and tangible benefits for Nigerians
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has cautioned that unrealistic assumptions in the 2026 budget could undermine fiscal discipline and weaken public confidence in government spending.
Speaking on Friday at a joint session of the National Assembly following President Bola Tinubu’s presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill, Abbas stressed the importance of grounding the budget in credible, resilient, and achievable targets.
He noted that the experience of the outgoing 2025 fiscal year highlighted the need for practical assumptions to guide national planning.
“If 2025 was a year of adjustment and learning, 2026 must be a year of fulfilment,” Abbas said.
“Growth must increasingly translate into jobs, higher incomes, and expanded opportunities. Fiscal discipline must deliver fairness, efficiency, and visible impact.”
The speaker emphasized that the 2026 budget should be based on realistic assumptions, disciplined implementation, and measurable outcomes.
“There is strong optimism in this chamber that 2026 will be different, not only in intent but also in results. The National Assembly receives the 2026 Appropriation Bill confident that lessons from 2025 have been fully internalized, and that this budget is designed to translate reform into tangible progress for Nigerians,” he said.
Abbas welcomed President Tinubu’s commitment to a single budget and fiscal framework, describing it as a step toward restoring order and realism to the budgeting process.
He assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would act with urgency and diligence to scrutinize the appropriation bill, ensure accountability, and guarantee that public funds deliver maximum value.
“To Nigerians watching, the message is clear: stability has been restored, confidence has been rebuilt, and the foundations for shared prosperity are firmly in place,” he said.
The speaker also acknowledged the challenges the federal government faced in executing the 2024 and 2025 budgets, which led to the simultaneous operation of multiple appropriations within a single fiscal year.
He noted that the president had requested the repeal and re-enactment of the 2024 and 2025 budgets, alongside an extension of the 2025 budget implementation through March 2026, to ensure fiscal alignment and continuity of public expenditure.
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