Nigeria Senate Approves ₦1.485 Trillion Rivers State Budget For 2025.
In a significant development for Rivers State, the Nigerian Senate has passed the 2025 Appropriation Bill, approving a budget of ₦1.485 trillion for the fiscal year ending 31 December 2025. The decision, made on Wednesday, 25 June 2025, follows a thorough review of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Oversighting the Emergency Rule in Rivers State, chaired by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.
The budget, which was presented to the Senate by President Bola Tinubu in May, authorises the issuance of ₦1,485,662,592,442 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State. According to the approved breakdown, ₦120.8 billion is allocated for debt servicing, ₦287.38 billion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and a substantial ₦1.077 trillion for capital expenditure, reflecting a strong focus on infrastructure and development projects aimed at revitalising key sectors in the state.
The passage of the budget comes in the context of the ongoing emergency rule in Rivers State, declared by President Tinubu on 18 March 2025, following a prolonged political crisis between the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. The Senate’s approval underscores its constitutional mandate under Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution to ensure peace, order, and good governance in the state during this period of interim administration.
Senator Bamidele, in his presentation, highlighted that the budget aligns with the Rivers State 2017-2027 Development Plan, noting that approximately 85% of the proposed budget was originally drafted by Governor Fubara before the emergency rule was enacted. The Senate has pledged to closely monitor the budget’s implementation to ensure transparency, accountability, and meaningful development for the people of Rivers State.
A revised budget proposal of ₦1.846 trillion, presented by the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), was also discussed last week, with an additional ₦50 billion allocated to address outstanding pension liabilities—a move hailed as a strategic step towards fostering stability. However, the Senate ultimately approved the original ₦1.485 trillion budget, which is now set to proceed for presidential assent and implementation.
The budget’s capital-heavy structure, with over 70% dedicated to infrastructure, economic development, and public services, has been commended by Senate leaders as a model for other states. The approval marks a critical step towards sustaining peace and driving large-scale development in Rivers State amidst its unique administrative challenges.
As Rivers State prepares for the implementation of this landmark budget, stakeholders and residents alike await its impact on job creation, infrastructure, and overall economic growth in the region.
