2026 BUDGET IS STRATEGIC TOOL TO DEEPEN TINUBU REFORMS – FG

As Nigeria enters a pivotal fiscal year, the Federal Government has reassured citizens that the 2026 National Budget is specifically engineered to “lock in” the economic progress achieved through recent difficult but necessary reforms.

Titled the “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience, and Shared Prosperity,” the ₦58.18 trillion proposal presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu serves as a roadmap to move Nigeria from a period of stabilization to one of visible growth.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, highlighted that the last 31 months have laid a new foundation. The 2026 budget aims to transition these macro-gains into household-level benefits.

Key economic indicators cited as evidence of progress include:

• Declining Inflation: Headline inflation dropped to 14.45% in late 2025, down from over 24% earlier in the reform cycle.

• Stronger Reserves: External reserves hit a 7-year high of $47 billion, providing a stable buffer for the Naira.

• GDP Growth: The economy recorded a growth rate of 3.98% in Q3 2025, signaling a steady recovery.

The 2026 budget breaks away from the “multiple budget” cycle of the past, moving to a unified revenue and expenditure system starting April 2026. This transparency is backed by significant allocations to four “interlinked” pillars:

A standout feature of the 2026 plan is the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme. This initiative targets all 8,809 wards in Nigeria, aiming to bring 10 million Nigerians into productive economic activity by empowering at least 1,000 people per ward through agriculture, trade, and mining.

The government is also doubling down on food security by recapitalizing the Bank of Agriculture and establishing seven regional hubs for agricultural mechanization.

While acknowledging the “reform fatigue” many Nigerians feel, the Federal Government maintains that staying the course is the only way to avoid the stagnation of the past. The 2026 budget is more than a list of figures; it is a commitment to ensuring that the “Renewed Hope” agenda becomes a lived reality for every Nigerian household.