Senate Extends 2025 Budget Implementation To 31st Dec 2026

The Senate has approved another extension of the implementation period for the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act, moving the deadline from September 30 to December 31, 2026.

The extension was approved on Tuesday after lawmakers considered and passed a bill seeking to amend the 2025 Appropriation Act.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who sponsored the bill, said the extension was necessary to enable Ministries, Departments and Agencies to complete capital projects for which funds had already been appropriated and released.

He said capital projects often involve lengthy procurement processes, contract execution, mobilisation, certification and payment, making it difficult for some projects to be completed within the existing implementation period.

According to Bamidele, allowing the September 30 deadline to expire could create difficulties for agencies with projects already at advanced stages of execution and increase the risk of abandoned projects.

The latest extension provides an additional three months for the utilisation of funds already appropriated and released for the affected capital projects. It does not introduce new projects into the 2025 budget.

The extension is the fourth adjustment to the implementation period of the 2025 capital budget.

The original deadline was December 31, 2025. It was subsequently extended to March 31, 2026, then June 30, and later September 30. The latest decision now keeps the capital component open until December 31, 2026.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the extension was necessary because several contractors had yet to complete projects or receive full payment for work already executed under the 2025 Appropriation Act.

He urged the Federal Government to use the additional period to settle outstanding obligations and move ongoing infrastructure projects towards completion.

The Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, also raised concerns about delays in budget implementation, pointing to administrative and payment processes that he said could affect the timely execution of projects.

The latest extension comes despite previous commitments by the Federal Government to end overlapping budget cycles and operate within a more predictable annual budgeting framework.

With the Senate’s approval, the capital component of the 2025 budget will remain available for implementation until December 31, 2026, subject to the completion of the legislative and presidential assent process.