Senate Targets March 17 To Pass N58.47trn 2026 Appropriation Bill

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate has fixed March 17, 2026, for the final consideration and passage of the N58.472 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill, as it unveiled an accelerated timetable to conclude work on the estimates.

The timeline was agreed yesterday at a special session of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, which also scheduled February 2 to 13 for scrutiny of the budget estimates at the committee level.

As part of efforts to ensure an inclusive process, the committee fixed February 9, 2026, for a public hearing on the budget proposal.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Ogun West), said a renowned economist and University of Lagos professor, Wasiu Adeoye, would make a PowerPoint presentation at the hearing.

In addition, Thursday, March 5, 2026, has been set aside for an interactive session between members of the committee and key economic managers of the federal government, including the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu.

Senator Adeola further disclosed that February 16 to 23, 2026, had been earmarked for the submission of reports on budget defence by the various standing committees, ahead of the presentation of the Appropriations Committee’s report to the Senate on March 17.

He informed members that while the Senate leadership initially sought passage of the budget by March 12, he secured an additional one week to allow for more rigorous scrutiny of the estimates.

To aid detailed consideration, Adeola said hard copies of the 2026 budget had been printed and distributed to chairmen and members of the standing committees.

The committee subsequently adopted the timetable following a motion moved by Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) and seconded by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North).