The Senate has fixed March 17, 2026, as the tentative date for the final consideration and passage of President Bola Tinubu’s ₦58.47 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill, as it intensifies legislative scrutiny through engagements with key economic managers, committee-level budget defense and public consultations.
The action followed the formal presentation of the 2026 budget estimates by the Executive and subsequent commitment by the Senate leadership that detailed examination of the proposal would take priority when plenary sessions resume, forming the basis for a structured legislative timetable.
Key figures in the process include the Senate Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Ogun West), as well as members of the federal economic management team, with the proposal centered on the ₦58.47 trillion fiscal plan submitted for the 2026 financial year.
Explaining the rationale for the schedule, Adeola stated that “the Senate will subject the estimates to rigorous and transparent review, including technical input and engagement with relevant officials, to ensure that the final budget reflects national priorities and fiscal responsibility.”
In line with this approach, the Senate approved a series of actions, including budget defense sessions by standing committees from February 2 to 13, a public hearing scheduled for February 9, and an interactive session with economic managers fixed for March 5, 2026, to interrogate key assumptions and projections.
Representing the institutional position of the legislature, the Appropriations Committee chairman said the process would be guided by the Senate’s constitutional mandate over public finance, adding that reports from committee-level budget defenses would be collated and submitted between February 16 and 23 ahead of final deliberations.
The committee advised all stakeholders, including ministries, departments and agencies, to ensure full compliance with budgetary guidelines and documentation requirements, stressing that transparency, accountability and adherence to fiscal procedures would underpin the review process.
Adeola added that while Senate leadership initially proposed March 12 for passage of the budget, lawmakers secured an additional week to allow for deeper examination of the estimates, noting that the Senate would conclude consideration of the appropriation bill in line with legislative procedure and in the overall interest of sound economic governance.
