In a swift legislative move, the Nigerian Senate on Wednesday approved the second reading of a ₦1.78 trillion statutory appropriation bill for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), just hours after its introduction by President Bola Tinubu.
The bill, aimed at funding the FCT Administration for the 2025 fiscal year, was fast-tracked through the invocation of Senate Order 78, allowing it to scale second reading on the same day it was presented.
President Tinubu, in his official communication to the upper chamber, urged lawmakers to give the bill expedited consideration, stressing its importance to sustaining a functional and responsive administration for Abuja residents.
However, the accelerated process sparked dissent within the chamber. Senator Abdul Ningi, a member of the opposition, raised procedural concerns, citing Order 77(3 and 4). He argued that the lawmakers had not received copies of the bill before the debate commenced.
Despite the protest, the Senate proceeded to debate the bill’s general principles. Leading the discussion, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele detailed that the appropriation seeks to authorize the disbursement of ₦1.78 trillion from the FCT’s Statutory Revenue Fund. The funds will cover personnel, overhead, and capital expenses for the fiscal year running from January 1 to December 31, 2025.
The proposed breakdown includes ₦150.35 billion for personnel costs, ₦343.78 billion for overheads, and ₦1.29 trillion earmarked for capital projects. Bamidele emphasized that the budget is geared toward enhancing infrastructure and public services, with a strong focus on completing ongoing projects and initiating new ones critical to the capital’s development.
