….Says extra time needed to complete projects, avoid waste of public funds
The Senate on Thursday approved a three-month extension for the implementation of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act, moving the deadline from June 30 to September 30, 2026.
The extension is to allow Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to complete ongoing projects and fully utilise funds already released by the Federal Government.
The resolution followed a motion moved by Senate Majority Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, which was adopted after the chamber suspended Order 1(b) of its Standing Rules for immediate consideration.
Presenting the motion, Monguno said the extension became necessary because a significant portion of capital funds released had not been utilised due to procurement delays, implementation challenges, and other administrative bottlenecks.
“The 2025 Appropriation Act was enacted to provide funding for the implementation of government programmes, projects and activities aimed at promoting economic growth, infrastructure development, national security and the welfare of Nigerians,” he said.
He noted that “despite substantial releases made by the Federal Government to Ministries, Departments and Agencies for the execution of approved projects and programmes, a significant proportion of the first release remains unutilised.”
According to him, the unutilised funds were tied to procurement timelines, project implementation challenges, and other administrative processes beyond the control of MDAs.
Monguno warned that failing to extend the implementation period could jeopardise several critical projects already nearing completion.
“A number of strategic capital projects across critical sectors of the economy are at advanced stages of completion and require additional time for execution, certification and payment,” he said.
He further cautioned that “failure to extend the implementation period may result in the abandonment of critical projects, wastage of already committed public resources and disruption of ongoing government interventions.”
After deliberations, Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the motion to a voice vote, which received overwhelming support from lawmakers across party lines.
The Senate subsequently resolved to support an amendment to the 2025 Appropriation Act extending the implementation period of the capital component by an additional 90 days.
Lawmakers who contributed to the debate said the extension would help prevent waste, improve budget performance, and ensure the completion of projects already at advanced stages nationwide.
The Senate clarified that the extension applies only to the capital component of the 2025 budget and is intended to facilitate efficient utilisation of released funds, enhance service delivery, and ensure value for money.
The resolution is expected to be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence before the amendment takes effect.
With the extension, MDAs now have until September 30, 2026, to execute, certify, and make payments for capital projects captured under the 2025 budget.
Having approved the extension, the President of the Senate adjourned plenary till July 7, noting that the nearly three-week break marks the end of the current legislative session.
Akpabio appealed to committees with pending oversight or crucial assignments to use the recess period to conclude such work.
