Senate Pushes 2025 Budget Deadline to September 2026, Extends Third Time

The Nigerian Senate has granted a fresh extension for the 2025 budget's capital component, shifting the final implementation deadline to September 30, 2026. The move came after lawmakers passed a motion by Senate leadership, citing delays in project execution and procurement challenges that have slowed spending across government ministries and agencies.

Senate leaders noted that despite substantial fund releases to various government departments, a significant portion of allocated money remains unspent. The extension aims to prevent the abandonment of ongoing projects and enable agencies to fully utilize funds already distributed by the federal government. Lawmakers cited administrative bottlenecks and execution delays as reasons the original timeline could not be met.

This marks the third time the Senate has extended the 2025 capital budget's implementation period. The National Assembly initially extended the deadline from December 31, 2025, to March 31, 2026, then pushed it again to June 30, 2026, before approving Thursday's extension to the end of September 2026. The successive delays underscore persistent challenges in budget execution at the federal level.

The extension provides ministries, departments, and agencies with an additional three months to complete ongoing capital projects, process outstanding payments, and meet contractual obligations. Senate leadership suspended standing orders to fast-track consideration of the motion, signaling the urgency lawmakers attached to ensuring funds are deployed before the extended deadline.