FG Says 2024 Budget Performance Has Reached 80% – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this during an engagement with the House of Representatives Com­mittee on Appropriation chaired by Hon. Abubakar Bichi.

Edun, who appeared alongside the Minister of Budget and Eco­nomic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu; the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yaku­bu, and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamsedeen Ogunjimi, said the implemen­tation of the 2024 budget was ex­tended by the National Assembly until December, hence, execution remains a work in progress.

Edun, in his remarks, revealed that as of September 2025, approx­imately 80 percent of the 2024 bud­get had already been executed.

“Implementation overall is at about 80 percent. The National As­sembly extended the 2024 budget until December, so it is still active. We also assessed the 2025 budget with emphasis on grassroots ini­tiatives and critical infrastructure like roads, irrigation, and other projects that directly impact citi­zens,” Edun said.

He further explained: “We re­viewed 2024 budget performance, it’s roughly 80 percent so far, and since it was extended to December, work is still ongoing. Similarly, we examined the 2025 fiscal plan to en­sure that grassroots-oriented proj­ects, particularly those involving infrastructure and support facili­ties, get the priority they deserve. Discussions centered on ensuring faithful and full budget implemen­tation.”

On the issue of additional expenditure, Edun clarified that there were no talks about a sup­plementary budget for 2025.

Minister of Budget and Na­tional Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, added that the committee acknowledged the progress made under President Bola Tinubu’s government.

He pointed out that lawmakers were particularly appreciative of the administration’s regard for the National Assembly and the cordial relations between the executive and legislative arms.

“The National Assembly has supported all key reform policies of this government, including the ongoing tax reforms, which are already producing results. Our engagement today provided an opportunity to highlight areas where more improvement is need­ed,” Bagudu said.

Speaking to journalists after the closed-door meeting, the Com­mittee Chairman, Rep. Abubakar Bichi (APC–Kano), said Nigerians are increasingly anxious about how far the current budget has been implemented.

Bichi explained that the inter­action was part of the legislature’s oversight responsibility to ensure proper monitoring of budget per­formance and improved service delivery to citizens.

“We met with the Finance and Budget Ministers, and they acknowledged the issues raised. They assured us of their determi­nation to intensify efforts so that Nigerians begin to feel tangible benefits from the budget.

“Our members are deeply con­cerned, but the ministers pledged that by year’s end, Nigerians will see significant progress. They have made that commitment, and we will be tracking it closely,” Bichi stated.

FG Moves To Crash Food Prices

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Ab­dullahi, has disclosed that the Federal Government has moved to reduce food prices by ensuring safer routes for agricultural prod­ucts across the country.

He said to achieve this, Pres­ident Bola Tinubu has asked a committee within the Federal Ex­ecutive Council to put measures in place.

Senator Abdullahi made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja during his presentation at the one day capacity-building workshop for journalists covering the Senate.

He further explained that the marching order on further crash of food prices and safe passage of agricultural commodities in the country will help the government realise its vision on food sover­eignty.

He said: “In addressing the high price of transportation of farm produce in the country, I can say it on good authority to you that the president has given a marching or­der with a Federal Executive Coun­cil committee already handling it, on how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our vari­ous routes in the country.

“We are aware, and I’m sure as the media, you are also aware, there are routes through which commodities are taken before they are delivered. If you know the amount of money that is be­ing spent, you can now understand why those commodities have to be expensive at the point of delivery.

“So we are working very hard. We are doing quite a lot. But I’ve just given you a snippet because I’m here, and I felt we should look at that.”

On the vision of food sover­eignty, Senator Abdullahi said the vision is within the ambit of food security and food sufficien­cy encompassing availability of the food, accessibility of the food, affordability, and in the right nu­tritional content on a sustainable basis.

He added that other pro­grammes like the Farmer Soil Health Scheme and Cooperative reform are being mapped out for implementation.

“We are having what you call the Farmer Soil Health Scheme. And that is ready for launch. We are just waiting for the date.

“Another important part I would like you to take notice of very seriously is we are promoting, or we are having what you call, we need more cooperative reform and revamped programmes.

“Mr. President has shown tre­mendous interest in the coopera­tive sector as a veritable tool for re­source mobilisation, for economic activity generation, and to improve the livelihood of members.

“And you know the principle of cooperation is clear, is democratic, yet it is also very productive. And so we are reforming this. There’s a number of things we are doing there. And I will urge you, as a press corps, to consider forming a cooperative”, he said.

Other speakers at the workshop themed with the theme, ‘Parlia­mentary Reporting: Issues, Chal­lenges and Responsibilities,’ were the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sen­ator Yemi Adaramodu; Senator Ita Solomon Enang, and the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abu­bakar Sulaiman.