Nigeria's Budget Criticized by Minister Abubakar Bagudu

On September 28, 2026, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, addressed concerns regarding Nigeria's national budget during a Senate Press Corps Capacity-Building Workshop in Abuja. He highlighted that Nigeria has one of the smallest national budgets among the world's ten most populous countries, despite its significant population and development requirements.

Bagudu called for a broader national conversation on revenue mobilization, questioning whether the current level of public spending is sufficient to meet development objectives. He linked the budgetary issues to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the broader context of Agenda 2050, which aims to build a $1 trillion economy.

The minister urged journalists to conduct thorough investigations into budget provisions and emphasized the importance of public understanding of the budget process, which involves both the Executive and the National Assembly. He warned against assuming that unfamiliar budget provisions are irregular without proper context.