Connect with us

Business & Economy

Economy: FG projects N26trn In 2024 as debt servicing gulps N8.25trn

Published

on

Atiku Bagudu
Share

 

The Federal Government is projecting N26.01 trillion as expenditure for the 2024 fiscal year.

Of the amount, N8.25 trillion is being projected for debt servicing.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) chaired by President Bola Tinubu on Monday approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2024 – 2026.

Minister of Budget and National Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, told journalists after the meeting that the administration would maintain the January–December budget implementation cycle.

“The aggregate expenditure is estimated at N26.01 trillion for the 2024 budget, which includes statutory transfers of N1.3 trillion non-debt recurrent expenditure of N10.26 trillion. Debt service estimated at N8.25 trillion as well as N7.78 trillion being provided for personnel pension cost,” Bagudu said.

The minister explained that increase in the debt service was because of “N22.7 trillion Ways and Means was securitised, meaning it became a federal government debt at nine per cent.”

Bagudu stated that FEC benchmarked Dollar at N700 while the price of crude was projected at $73.96 per barrel. The production of 1.7 million barrels of crude per day and 21 per cent interest rate were some of the parameters of the 2024 Budget.

He said that the budget would be presented to the National assembly before the end of the year since President Bola Tinubu was already engaging with the legislative arm towards getting their buy-in.

The budget minister said that the budget was expected to consolidate on the various economic reforms initiated by the present administration aimed at improving the standard of living of Nigerians and attracting investors.

Also, the second FEC meeting took up the issues of economy and the agreement reached between government and the labour unions early this month to avert an industrial action.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, said that the meeting approved the application for financing from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA).

He said that the country was able to access $1.5 billion from the IDA, which is the virtually free or zero-interest lending arm or financing arm of the World Bank.

“Nigeria has been able to make the kind of macro-economic moves to take the tough decisions to restore balance in the economy in the government’s finances that has warranted support.

“This had engendered support from the multilateral development banks.

“It is on this basis that the world bank is willing to consider and to process on our behalf $1.5 billion of concessional financing, relatively cheap financing and financing that will be dispersed relatively quickly,” he said.

Edun said that another $80 million financing from the African Development Bank was approved by the FEC for the Ekiti Knowledge Zone (EKZ) project aimed at empowering the youth in the sector of Knowledge Economy through technology and communications generally.

He said: “This is basically to support young people and their quest to take on technology to use it to be employed to be trained and to benefit from being part of the knowledge economy.

“This is being part of the technological wave that is present very much in Nigeria, which is becoming a bigger and bigger share of the economy.”

Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, said that FEC gave approval for the agreement between labour and the government during the October 2 meeting.

“Presidential approval was given after analysing the agreement to provide for industrial harmony. Similarly, the 30 days implementation timeline agreed on was also approved by FEC,” he said.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business & Economy

Tinubu Tables ₦58.18trn 2026 Budget, Projects Sustained Economic Stability

Published

on

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Share

President Bola Tinubu on Friday presented a ₦58.18 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly of Nigeria, declaring that Nigeria’s economy is showing measurable signs of stabilisation following years of structural pressure.

Tagged “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” the 2026 fiscal plan is aimed at locking in recent macroeconomic gains while translating economic recovery into improved living standards for citizens.

According to the President, Nigeria’s economy expanded by 3.98 per cent in Q3 2025, while inflation moderated significantly, falling to 14.45 per cent in November 2025 from 24.23 per cent in March 2025.

“With stabilising food and energy prices, tighter monetary conditions, and improving supply responses, we expect the disinflationary trend to persist into 2026, barring major supply shocks,” Tinubu said during the presentation on December 19, 2025.

The President highlighted additional positive indicators, including improved crude oil production, rising non-oil revenues, renewed investor confidence, and external reserves climbing to a seven-year high of approximately $47 billion.

Under the proposal, the Federal Government projects ₦34.33 trillion in revenue against planned expenditure of ₦58.18 trillion, resulting in a budget deficit of ₦23.85 trillion, equivalent to 4.28 per cent of GDP. Tinubu emphasised that the fiscal framework is built on realism, prudence, and growth-driven assumptions.

He further assured lawmakers of tighter discipline in budget implementation, stressing that fiscal spending in 2026 would be more outcome-focused.

“Every naira spent or borrowed must deliver measurable public value,” the President said.

Continue Reading

Business & Economy

CBN Governor Reassures U.S. Investors on Nigeria’s Economic Reforms, Stability

Published

on

CBN Governor, Yemi Cardoso
Share

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has reassured United States investors of Nigeria’s commitment to macroeconomic stability and market-driven reforms, amid global economic uncertainty.

Cardoso gave the assurance during high-level engagements with U.S. business leaders and institutional investors in Washington, D.C., including the U.S.–Nigeria Executive Business Roundtable.

Speaking at the forum, the CBN governor said Nigeria remains focused on rules-based economic management, transparent markets, and predictable policy frameworks to restore investor confidence and drive sustainable economic growth.

He highlighted recent reforms in the foreign exchange market, the adoption of orthodox monetary policy measures, ongoing banking sector reforms, and the modernisation of the payments system. According to him, the reforms are aimed at stabilising the economy and supporting private-sector-led development.

The roundtable, convened by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center, focused on macroeconomic stabilisation, regulatory clarity, and opportunities to scale bankable projects across key sectors of the Nigerian economy. Discussions also emphasised efforts to deepen commercial and investment ties between Nigeria and the United States.

Commenting on the outcome of the engagement, President of the U.S.-Africa Business Center, Ms. Kendra Gaither, said investors are increasingly prioritising policy credibility and consistency.

She noted that clarity of rules, credible reforms, and disciplined economic management are critical factors driving investor interest, adding that Nigeria’s evolving message of discipline and opportunity is important in a global economy seeking stability and predictability.

Continue Reading

Business & Economy

Tinubu Welcomes Nigeria’s Removal from FATF Grey List, Pledges Continued Financial Reforms

Published

on

President Bola Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Share

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the removal of Nigeria from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, describing it as a major milestone in the nation’s economic reform and global credibility drive.

The FATF, the world’s foremost body for combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing, announced Nigeria’s delisting on Friday at its plenary session in Paris, France.

The decision formally removes Nigeria from the list of countries under increased monitoring, following the nation’s successful completion of its FATF Action Plan after over two years of sustained reforms and inter-agency coordination.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu said the development reflects Nigeria’s progress in strengthening its Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework.

“Rather than treat our placement on the grey list in 2023 as a setback, we saw it as a call to action,” the President said. “This delisting is a strategic victory for our economy and a renewed vote of confidence in Nigeria’s financial governance.”

The President credited the achievement to far-reaching legal, institutional, and operational reforms implemented under his administration through the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), in collaboration with the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and other key ministries.

Tinubu commended the Director/CEO of the NFIU, Ms. Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, and her team for their diligence and professionalism, as well as the contributions of several ministries, agencies, and private sector representatives who participated in the National Task Force on AML/CFT.

He also acknowledged the support of international partners including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Nations, and the European Commission, for their technical assistance throughout Nigeria’s reform process.

President Tinubu assured that his administration will sustain and deepen the reforms that led to the country’s delisting.

“This is not just a technical accomplishment,” he said. “It marks the beginning of a new chapter in our financial reform agenda as we continue building a system Nigerians and the world can trust.”

Continue Reading