The Akwa Ibom State Executive Council has approved a ₦1.39 trillion budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year, which will be forwarded to the State House of Assembly for consideration and passage.
The budget, tagged “Anchored on Deepening the Dividends of the ARISE Agenda,” is aimed at completing ongoing projects and expanding social investments across the state.
The approval was granted on Wednesday during an enlarged Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Umo Eno at the Government House, Uyo.
According to excerpts from the council communiqué signed by the Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, the 2026 budget will focus on agricultural development, rural transformation, infrastructure expansion, education, security, tourism, healthcare, economic diversification, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability.
“The 2026 fiscal plan emphasizes the completion of ongoing flagship projects, job creation through MSME support and tourism promotion, improved transportation through CNG buses and ferries, enhanced transparency, fiscal discipline, and human capital development, particularly for women, youth, and vulnerable groups,” the statement added.
The council also approved several other key decisions, including an upward review of the total project cost for the Aviation Village within the Victor Attah International Airport, the ratification of consultancy works for AKBC Television and Radio, and renewed interventions in the state’s health sector.
It further approved the release of ₦4.15 billion to Anchor Insurance Limited to recover prime state properties used in asset swap deals for recapitalization, while mandating the Akwa Ibom Property and Investment Company (APICO) and the Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation (AKICORP) to “convert such assets into wealth for the state.”
In his closing remarks, Governor Eno commended the Head of Civil Service, Effiong Essien, for his meritorious service to the state and extended condolences to the family of the late Rev. Emmanuel Ossom, one of the state’s respected clerics.
He charged members of the council to sustain the tempo of performance and demonstrate greater commitment towards realizing the administration’s goals under the ARISE blueprint.
