Abuja: The Senate on Friday set March 17 as the date for final passage of the ₦58.47 trillion 2026 budget, unveiling a timetable that paves the way for detailed scrutiny and debate before approval.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations, at a special session in Abuja, set Feb. 2–13 for committee-level consideration of budget estimates.
A public hearing on the budget will be held Feb. 9.
According to Adeola, a Professor of Economics at the University of Lagos, Wasiu Adeoye will give a PowerPoint presentation during the budget hearing.
He gave the topic for the public hearing as: ‘Strengthening the Microeconomic Stability, Accelerating Infrastructure Delivery, and Improving Security through Fiscal Discipline and Effective Implementation of the 2026 Budget’.
“Budget hearing and engagement with MDAs runs from Monday, Feb. 2 to Friday, Feb. 13. During this period, all sub-committee chairmen will invite their relevant MDAs for discussion and presentation,” he said.
As proposed by Adeola and adopted by the committee, March 5 was set for an interactive session between the committee and the economic managers of the Federal Government.
These, Adeola said, would include the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun and Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu.
Adeola added that Feb. 16 to Feb. 23 had been fixed for the submission of reports on budget defence by the various committee chairmen, for presentation by the committee to the Senate on March 17.
He informed members of the committee that the Senate wanted the budget passed on March 12, but he convinced the leadership to grant an additional week.
“We must make sure we work within the time and ensure that the budget is passed, even though the leadership is asking for 12 March for the budget to be passed.
He emphasised working to meet the extended March 17 or 19 target dates for passage.
He explained that to ensure thorough scrutiny of the 2026 budget estimates, printed copies had been distributed to chairmen and members of the standing committees.
The timetable was subsequently adopted on the floor, following a motion by Sen. Adamu Aliero (APC–Kebbi), seconded by Sen. Orji Kalu (APC–Abia).
