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2022 Budget Won’t Fail Because APC Leads National Assembly – Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari
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President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he is certain the 2022 budget will accomplish the purpose for which it was created.

Speaking exclusively to Channels Television on Wednesday, the president said he is confident that the budget will succeed because the National Assembly is led by trusted members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

When asked if he is afraid that the budget might not be able to achieve its purpose, the president replied, “No! Not at all”.

He said, “My confidence that we can successfully implement the budget is because, in both houses, the party is leading.

“It’s APC party and the leadership; look at the Senate President, he was in the House of Reps for two or three terms before he went to the Senate.

“Look at Femi Gbajabiamila, I was watching on the television, when he was an ordinary member, he was always on his seat fighting for the party and the system we believe in.

“Really, I consider myself lucky. My party and their competent leadership are both leading in the Senate and House of Representatives.

“That’s why you don’t hear much about me, I allow them to do all the things because I can’t go against my party and I can’t go against people I have absolute confidence in. I know they are doing their best,” President Buhari added.

He further asserted that the objections earlier raised before he assented to the budget will not cause a rift between the Executive and Legislative arms of government.

“The legislature is amazing,” the president said.

Following President Buhari’s assent to the 2022 budget, there were reports of friction between the presidency and the parliament.

The president had expressed strong reservations on the “worrisome changes” made by the National Assembly to the 2022 Executive Budget proposal.

He frowned at many changes that the National Assembly made to the 2022 Executive Budget proposal, including “Increase in projected FGN Independent Revenue by N400 billion, the justification for which is yet to be provided to the Executive; Reduction in the provision for Sinking Fund to Retire Maturing Bonds by N22 billion without any explanation; Reduction of the provisions for the Non-Regular Allowances of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Navy by N15 billion and N5 billion respectively”.

With all the irregularities encountered, the president still signed the budget, and the presidency has since said that though disagreements were encountered with the insertions, the president and the parliament have not fallen out.

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Business & Economy

Tinubu Approves Framework to Unlock $50bn Deep Offshore Investment

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a new investment framework aimed at attracting up to $50 billion in fresh investment into Nigeria’s deep offshore oil and gas sector.

The reform is designed to end project-by-project negotiations and introduce clear rules and incentives for large-scale offshore developments.

The framework, implemented through the Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Order, 2026, is expected to revive major projects that have remained stalled for years.

One of the key projects targeted is the approximately $10 billion Bonga South West development.

The new framework will provide transparent eligibility requirements and implementation procedures, giving investors greater certainty while protecting Nigeria’s long-term economic interests.

It also allows NNPC Limited, as the government’s nominated counterparty under Production Sharing Contracts, to make the necessary amendments to eligible contracts to implement the incentives.

According to the Special Adviser to the President on Oil and Gas, Olu Verheijen-Arowolo, qualifying projects will be required to maximise activities within Nigeria where commercially and technically feasible.

She said the policy would help expand local engineering, fabrication, marine logistics, technical services and project management, while creating skilled jobs and strengthening domestic supply chains.

President Tinubu commended the Federal Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigeria Revenue Service, NNPC Limited, NUPRC, NCDMB and other industry stakeholders for their contributions to developing the framework.

The President said countries that attract long-term investment are those that provide certainty, stressing that the reform would create an investment environment based on clear rules, strong institutions and lasting partnerships.

He said the initiative would help attract capital, grow Nigerian businesses, create jobs and ensure that the country’s natural resources deliver greater long-term value.

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NERC Dissolves Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company Board Over ₦456.5bn Insolvency

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has dissolved the Board of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (Kaduna Electric) with immediate effect over severe financial insolvency amounting to ₦456.5 billion.

NERC, in a statement, said the decision followed the company’s poor financial and operational performance.

According to the commission, Kaduna Electric remitted only 41.93 percent of its adjusted market invoices in 2025 and recorded aggregate losses of 71.88 percent.

The company also invested ₦2.48 billion against a required capital investment of ₦24.51 billion, while customer metering coverage remained below 36 percent.

To ensure continued electricity supply and operational stability, NERC has constituted an interim board of Special Directors chaired by Dr. Abdullahi Garba.

The commission also appointed Dr. Abubakar Umar Hashidu as Administrator of the company for an initial six-month term.

NERC further said Afrexim would coordinate a transparent 12-month competitive process to secure a competent replacement core investor for Kaduna Electric.

The commission assured electricity consumers across Kaduna Electric’s franchise area that distribution services would remain safe and uninterrupted during the transition.

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Subsidy Removal Best Thing That Happened to Nigeria — NRS Chairman

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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The Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Zacch Adedeji, has described the removal of petrol subsidy as one of the best economic decisions taken in Nigeria, saying President Bola Tinubu deserves commendation for the policy.

Adedeji made the remarks while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on Sunday, August 9, 2026.

He said many of the positive economic developments being recorded by the government were linked to the decision to remove the subsidy, which he described as unsustainable and harmful to the country’s economy.

According to him, the subsidy regime had existed for decades and placed a heavy burden on government finances.

“All the good results that I will reel out soon come as a result of that courageous decision. So, it is not a mistake; it is the best thing that has happened to this country,” Adedeji said.

The NRS chairman said Tinubu inherited an economy facing several structural challenges, including an unsustainable petrol subsidy regime, an underperforming oil sector and a narrow tax base.

He said the administration had introduced major reforms to address these challenges and urged Nigerians to assess the policies based on their long-term economic impact rather than emotions.

Adedeji also challenged those seeking to contest the 2027 presidential election to explain how they would handle the country’s economic challenges differently.

He specifically questioned whether they would reverse the removal of fuel subsidy or the unification of the foreign exchange market.

The NRS chairman further argued that retaining the subsidy would have placed an even greater strain on Nigeria’s finances, particularly amid global energy market pressures.

He estimated that the subsidy bill could have risen to about ₦53 trillion, while the exchange rate might have reached ₦3,500 to the dollar.

President Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy during his inauguration speech on May 29, 2023. The decision led to a sharp increase in petrol prices and contributed to higher transportation, food and production costs.

While the reform has increased government revenues and boosted allocations to the federal, state and local governments, its effect on the cost of living remains a major concern for many Nigerians.

 

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