General
FG Directs MDAs To Defer 70% of 2025 Capital Budget to 2026
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to carry over 70 per cent of their 2025 capital allocations into the 2026 fiscal year.
The directive was contained in the 2026 Abridged Budget Call Circular issued by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and circulated to ministers, service chiefs, and heads of agencies.
The circular said the government had adopted a new framework that caps all 2026 capital budget ceilings at 70 per cent of 2025 project allocations.
Only 30 per cent of this year’s capital budget will be released in 2025, while the remaining 70 per cent forms the foundation of next year’s capital spending.
The notice laid out strict guidelines for preparing next year’s spending plan, including a ban on introducing new capital projects, noting that the administration prioritises completing ongoing projects amid weak revenues and rising fiscal pressures.
It said MDAs must “upload 70 per cent of their 2025 FGN Budget to continue in FY2026” and ensure that all rollover items align with the administration’s priorities—national security, economic growth, education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, power, energy, and social safety nets.
The ministry said the policy is meant to prevent duplication, strengthen continuity and ensure that uncompleted projects are not abandoned, warning MDAs against attempting to exceed their 2025 overhead ceilings in their 2026 submissions, despite inflationary pressures.
“We are constrained by revenue challenges,” the circular said. “While we note the impact of inflation, proposals that exceed approved ceilings will be adjusted downward.”
The directive said the 2026 budget must reflect the strategies in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (2026–2028), the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Plan, the Ward Development Plan and the National Development Plan, as well as the Accelerated Stabilisation and Actualisation Plan.
MDAs must submit their budgets through the GIFMIS Budget Preparation Subsystem, while government-owned enterprises will submit via the Budget Information Management and Monitoring System. All submissions must be completed by Tuesday, December 9, 2025.
Statutory transfers are projected to drop from N3.64tn in 2025 to N3.15 trillion in 2026, while recurrent non-debt expenditure is estimated at N15.26 trillion.
Debt service obligations are set to rise sharply from N13.94 trillion this year to N15.52 trillion in 2026.
Aggregate capital expenditure is projected at N22.37 trillion, down from N26.19 trillion in 2025. Capital allocations for MDAs fall from N12.39 trillion to N8.67 trillion, while project-tied loans will shrink from N3.36 trillion to N2.05 trillion.
The deficit widens significantly to N20.12 trillion in 2026, from N14.10 trillion in the current year.
Personnel costs have already been computed using data from IPPIS and earlier submissions, the circular noted. Each ministry will be informed of its personnel cost ceiling for 2026.
The financial projections accompanying the circular show a more constrained revenue outlook for 2026.
Total funds available to the Federal Government, including GOEs, are projected at N54.46 trillion, down slightly from N54.99 trillion in 2025.
Life is full of unexpected moments that test our patience, strength, and perspective. Everyone experiences setbacks, disappointments, and periods of uncertainty. While these moments can feel overwhelming, they also provide opportunities for personal growth and self-discovery.
One of the most valuable lessons we learn is that difficult situations rarely last forever. Time, reflection, and a willingness to adapt often help us move beyond even the toughest circumstances. Maintaining a positive outlook and focusing on practical solutions can make a significant difference.
Relationships also play an important role in overcoming hardships. Support from family, friends, or mentors reminds us that we are not alone. At the same time, learning to let go of anger and resentment can free us from emotional burdens that prevent us from moving forward.
The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive. It is nothing to die. It is frightful not to live. Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt.
Personal growth is not about avoiding challenges but about responding to them with resilience and wisdom. Every experience, whether positive or negative, contributes to the person we become. By embracing change and practicing gratitude, we can create a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
In the end, moving forward requires courage, forgiveness, and hope. When we choose to focus on what we can control instead of dwelling on the past, we open ourselves to new opportunities and a brighter future.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The establishment of four new army divisions has been approved by President Bola Tinubu, bringing the total to 12.
In a statement on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, it was stated that the President also authorised the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to strengthen national security.
The new divisions created include 5 Division, with the headquarters in Makurdi covering Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States; 9 Division, with the headquarters in Ilorin covering Kwara and Niger States; 10 Division, with the headquarters in Jalingo covering Taraba and Adamawa States; and 83 Division, with the headquarters in Benin City covering Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States.
It was disclosed that the establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.
Implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases. The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, will be completed by September 2026. The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganisation, is expected to be completed by December 2026.
The statement said the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s structure from eight to twelve divisions will improve the operational effectiveness of the security agency and strengthen national defence capabilities further.
Before now, the Nigerian Army operated 1 Division, with the headquarters in Kaduna covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States; 2 Division, with the headquarters in Ibadan covering Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States; 3 Division, with the headquarters in Jos covering Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States; 6 Division, with the headquarters in Port Harcourt covering Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States; 7 Division, with the headquarters in Maiduguri covering Borno and Yobe States; 8 Division, with the headquarters in Sokoto covering Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States; 81 Division, with the headquarters in Lagos covering Lagos and Ogun States; and 82 Division, with the headquarters in Enugu covering Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States.
Mr Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s determination to continue investing in the Armed Forces, ensuring they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated, and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.
He lauded the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
By Dipo Olowookere
The need for new thinking on energy transition, infrastructure financing and energy journalism has been emphasised by a leading energy company, Sahara Group.
The organisation, at the 2026 Asharami Square held in Lagos on Wednesday, July 22, stressed the need for solution-based journalism for better results.
At the event themed Energising Africa’s Future: Legacy, Impact and Transformation, the Director of Governance and Sustainability at Sahara Group, Ms Ejiro Gray, in her opening remarks, noted that Africa’s energy future must be shaped by local realities, calling for more balanced, evidence-based journalism capable of interrogating the complexities of energy transition, development and sustainability.
“Effective journalism should not only tell us what happened; it should help us understand why it matters, whose interests are affected and what perspectives are missing from the conversation,” she posited.
The Special Adviser to the President on Power Infrastructure, Mr Sadiq Wanka, in his keynote address, highlighted the opportunities emerging within Nigeria’s electricity sector as reforms continue to open new pathways for investment.
He stated that reforms across the sector were creating opportunities in embedded generation, mini-grids, renewable energy, transmission infrastructure and industrial power solutions, while urging journalists to delve deeper into policy reforms, investment opportunities and implementation outcomes.
“The issue is no longer technology. The real challenge is mobilising capital at scale, structuring bankable opportunities and creating an ecosystem that attracts long-term financing,” Mr Wanka said.
At a panel session featuring the Director of Institute of Continuing Education of the University of Lagos, Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika; the chief executive of the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC), Ms Temitope George; and the Managing Director of Chapel Hill Denham, Ms Kemi Awodein, it was echoed that Africa possesses significant pools of capital capable of supporting infrastructure development, but that unlocking investment requires stronger governance, investor confidence and better project preparation.
“Energy reporting must go beyond headline events and announcements. Journalists need to ask deeper questions, examine the evidence and connect policy decisions to their impact on communities and everyday lives,” Prof Ogwezzy-Ndisika stated at the panel moderated by the Associate Editor for Africa at Argus Media, Mr Adebiyi Olusolape.
Ms Awodein, during the panel which explored the question: Who is financing Africa’s energy future? Pointed out that “Nigeria has demonstrated that domestic capital can finance transformational infrastructure at scale. The real differentiator is governance, transparency and a clear pathway to value creation.”
Business Post reports that one of the major highlights of the programme was the unveiling of the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship, which the Head of Corporate Communications at Sahara Group, Mr Bethel Obioma, said was designed to deepen journalists’ understanding of the technical, commercial, environmental and policy issues shaping the energy sector.
He disclosed that this aligns with Sahara Group’s Beyond XXX vision of investing in people and platforms that will help shape Africa’s future, adding that Prof Ogwezzy-Ndisika will serve as the lead assessor for the programme.
“Through the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship, we are investing in the capacity of journalists to tell more solutions and evidence-based stories that reflect the realities, opportunities and challenges of Africa’s energy transition,” he stated.
Since its launch in 2024, Asharami Square has continued to advance informed dialogue, strategic partnerships and practical solutions that support Africa’s evolving energy landscape and reinforce Sahara Group’s commitment to delivering impact beyond its first three decades.
