Senate fixes March 17 for passage of N58.47tn 2026 budget

Senate

The Senate has scheduled a high-level engagement with Nigeria’s economic managers as it intensifies scrutiny of President Bola Tinubu’s ₦58.47 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill, setting March 17, 2026, as the tentative date for its final consideration and passage.

The decision was taken on Friday at a special session of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, where lawmakers approved a comprehensive timetable for budget defence, public input and final legislative action.

The development comes barely four days after the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, pledged that scrutiny of the 2026 budget proposal would dominate plenary proceedings when the National Assembly resumes, alongside proposed far-reaching amendments to Nigeria’s electoral laws.

Under the approved schedule, standing committees of the Senate will commence consideration of the budget estimates from February 2 to 13, 2026. Punch