The National Assembly of Nigeria has postponed the resumption of plenary sittings in both legislative chambers to Thursday, March 5, 2026, to allow committees complete ongoing budget defence sessions on the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
The adjustment, announced in Abuja, followed consultations between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, alongside principal officers of both chambers. Lawmakers were formally notified through internal memoranda issued by the Clerk to the National Assembly.
The postponement affects plenary activities in both the Nigerian Senate and the Nigerian House of Representatives, which had earlier scheduled their return from recess for legislative business, including debate on committee reports related to the national budget.
The 2026 Appropriation Bill was presented before a joint session of the National Assembly on December 17, 2025, by President Bola Tinubu at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. In his address, President Tinubu outlined key fiscal priorities for the 2026 financial year, focusing on economic growth, infrastructure development, job creation, security strengthening and human capital investment.
Following the presentation, the bill was referred to various standing committees for detailed examination. Since early January 2026, lawmakers have been holding intensive budget defence sessions, summoning ministers, permanent secretaries and chief executives of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to justify their proposed allocations.
Among top government officials who have appeared before lawmakers are the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; and the Minister of Works, David Umahi. Security chiefs and heads of paramilitary agencies have also defended their spending proposals before relevant committees.
In addition, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, was engaged by lawmakers on macroeconomic assumptions underpinning the budget, including exchange rate benchmarks, inflation projections and monetary-fiscal coordination.
A senior legislative source disclosed that several committees requested additional time to resolve discrepancies in submissions and reconcile revenue forecasts, particularly those tied to oil production targets in the Niger Delta and non-oil revenue streams from agencies operating in Lagos and Abuja. Lawmakers are also scrutinizing capital expenditure allocations to ensure alignment with ongoing projects across the six geopolitical zones.
Speaking at the National Assembly Complex, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele emphasized that the postponement was a strategic decision aimed at strengthening legislative oversight. “The budget is the most important instrument of economic governance. We must ensure that every line item reflects transparency, accountability and measurable outcomes,” he said.
Similarly, House Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere noted that committees are working extensively to ensure the budget supports infrastructure projects, social services, youth employment initiatives and security operations nationwide.
Observers in Abuja say the decision underscores the National Assembly’s determination to maintain the January–December budget cycle introduced in recent years to improve fiscal discipline and implementation efficiency. Under this framework, the legislature aims to pass the appropriation bill before the start of the fiscal year to avoid delays in capital releases and government programmes.
Analysts, however, caution that while the postponement is relatively short, timely harmonization between the Senate and the House will be critical to prevent bottlenecks. Once plenary resumes on March 5, committees are expected to lay their reports for clause-by-clause consideration. After passage in both chambers, a conference committee may be constituted to reconcile any differences before forwarding the final document to President Tinubu for assent at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Despite the shift in the legislative calendar, the leadership of the National Assembly reiterated its commitment to due process and thorough scrutiny of public expenditure. Lawmakers maintain that granting committees additional time will ultimately produce a more credible and implementable 2026 budget capable of supporting Nigeria’s economic recovery and long-term development goals.
