Tinubu Signs 2025 Budget Amendment Bill

President Bola Tinubu has signed the 2025 Appropriation Amendment Bill into law, extending the implementation period for the capital component of the budget from September 30 to December 31, 2026.

The amendment, known as the Appropriation (Amendment) (No. 4) Bill, 2025, was signed after the National Assembly approved the extension on Tuesday.

The Senate and House of Representatives passed the amendment to provide additional time for Ministries, Departments and Agencies to complete ongoing capital projects and utilise funds already appropriated and released.

The development was confirmed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday.

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

The original implementation deadline was December 31, 2025. It was subsequently extended to March 31, 2026, then to June 30 and later to September 30.

The National Assembly said the latest extension was necessary because several projects remained at various stages of execution, while some funds already released to government agencies had not been fully utilised.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who sponsored the amendment, said the additional period would allow the government to complete critical projects and prevent public investments from being abandoned.

He also stressed that the amendment did not create a fresh appropriation or introduce new projects, but simply extended the legal window for implementing existing capital allocations.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio similarly said the extension was necessary to allow contractors to complete projects and receive outstanding payments.

Lawmakers also warned that the extension should not be interpreted as a relaxation of financial accountability or legislative oversight.

With the President’s assent, government agencies can now continue implementing eligible capital projects under the 2025 budget until December 31, 2026.

The latest development comes despite the Federal Government’s earlier commitment to move Nigeria away from overlapping budget cycles and towards a more predictable annual budgeting system.

The government has previously defended the extensions on the grounds that they would enable ministries and agencies to complete ongoing projects, settle outstanding obligations and maximise the value of funds already appropriated.

Tinubu, in signing the amendment, commended the National Assembly for its cooperation in facilitating the extension.

The new deadline gives federal agencies an additional three months to complete eligible projects and process outstanding payments under the 2025 capital budget.