President Bola Tinubu is set to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly on Friday, December 19, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. The presentation marks the formal transmission of the Federal Government’s fiscal proposals for the coming year to the legislature for scrutiny, debate, and approval.
A letter from the Presidency, signed by the Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development, Essien Eyo Essien, notified lawmakers and National Assembly staff of the President’s appearance. The letter outlined security and access arrangements, directing accredited persons to be at their duty posts by 11:00 a.m. and restricting access to the National Assembly complex thereafter.
The 2026 budget presentation is a constitutional practice in Nigeria, where the President outlines the government’s economic priorities, revenue assumptions, and expenditure plans for the new fiscal year. The Appropriation Bill will be referred to relevant committees in both chambers for detailed consideration, public hearings, and possible amendments before it is passed and transmitted to the President for assent.
The Senate has approved the 2026-2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), which projects a federal expenditure plan of N54.46 trillion for 2026. The framework also estimates a fiscal deficit of N20.13 trillion, with retained revenue of N34.33 trillion and new borrowings of N17.88 trillion.
The budget presentation is expected to provide insights into the government’s economic plans and priorities for the coming year. Following the presentation, the National Assembly will review and debate the Appropriation Bill before passing it into law.
The event is a significant step in Nigeria’s budgetary process, highlighting cooperation between the executive and legislative arms of government.