It is only about 20 percent of the 2024 budget that is yet to be implemented as of September 2025, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, said on Wednesday, after a closed-door meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, which lasted nearly four hours with some members of the executive arm to assess ongoing budget performance.
Other members of the executive arm, who were at the meeting include: the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu; Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamsedeen Ogunjimi, and the Director-General (DG) of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu.
Briefing journalists after the meeting at the National Assembly, Committee Chairman, Hon Abubakar Bichi (APC–Kano), said Nigerians were keenly watching budget implementation and the legislature owed them accountability.
“We engaged the Ministers of Finance and Budget; both acknowledged our concerns and assured us of their commitment. They promised that before the year ends, Nigerians will begin to see more visible results. We will continue to monitor closely,” Bichi said.
Edun confirmed that the 2024 budget, which the National Assembly extended until December, was still being executed.
“As is customary, we reviewed the budget performance, and overall, it’s around 80 per cent. As you know, the budget for 2024 was extended to December, so it is still running. It is still a work in progress,” he said.
He added that the focus of government spending under the extended cycle has been on projects with direct impact on communities, especially in critical areas such as road infrastructure, irrigation, and other grassroots initiatives designed to boost livelihoods and stimulate local economies.
“Implementation is at about 80 per cent. Since the National Assembly extended the 2024 budget till December, it is still running. We also reviewed the 2025 budget, with special focus on grassroots projects and infrastructure like roads and irrigation that directly impact citizens,” Edun said.
He further clarified that there were no discussions yet on a supplementary budget.
Bagudu noted that lawmakers commended the President Bola Tinubu administration’s respect for the legislature and its reform agenda.
“The National Assembly has supported all major reform initiatives, including tax reforms which are already yielding results. Today’s engagement helped identify areas for improvement,” Bagudu stated.