NEWS
Presidency Affirms N1.27tn Addition To 2024 Budget Amidst Padding Allegations
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, spokesperson for the Senate has vehemently refuted accusations of budget padding in the N28.77 trillion budget passed by the National Assembly.
The denial comes in response to concerns raised by Senator Abdul Ningi regarding potential discrepancies.
Contrarily, the Presidency issued a statement on Saturday acknowledging a N1.27tn addition to the 2024 budget. However, it expressed confusion over the origin of the mentioned N3tn.
Adaramodu underscored the budget’s public accessibility, affirming its status as a document available for scrutiny by Nigerians.
As reported by the BBC Hausa service on Saturday, Senator Ningi, Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, alleged that the Federal Government is running a budget of N28tn, contradicting the officially approved N25tn passed by the National Assembly.
He said, “Apart from what the National Assembly did on the floor, there was another budget that was done underground which we didn’t know.
“The new things we have discovered in the budget were not known to us. We haven’t seen them in the budget that was debated and considered on the floor of the National Assembly.
“For example, it was said that there was a budget of N28tn but what was passed was N25 trillion. So there is N3tn on top. Where are they, where is it going? So, we need to know this. There are a lot of things.
“For the first time in Nigerian history, today we are operating two different budgets. One budget was approved by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Tinubu and the other was implemented by the Presidency.
“The one approved by us is N25tn while the one operated by the Federal Government is N28tn. Apparently, we discovered N3tn was inserted into the budgets without locations. This is the highest budget padding that happened in Nigerian history under Sen. Akpabio’s watch.
“We resolved as people’s representatives to see President Tinubu on this issue, with facts and figures, to ask him if he is aware of this embarrassment or not, then from there we will take action. Let Nigerians be patient with us.”
The Senate Spokesperson responded, asserting, “There is no budget padding, according to the Senate and the National Assembly.”
“The national budget is a public document, which expressly states the expected revenue and the expenditure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Senate under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio is not aware of any varied execution of the 2024 appropriation mandate, as approved.”
Senator Adaramodu added, “The budget presentation and approval processes were made in the public glare, while the Presidential assent was also in a public ceremony.
“Any infractions would have been brought before the Senate, if any. The general public should be at rest that there is no budget padding anywhere and we are confident that the 2024 appropriation law shall be strictly executed, under strict legislative oversight.”
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, clarified on Saturday, stating, “The National Assembly added N1.27tn to the 2024 budget. So, we do not see where the N3tn is coming from.”
“What we know is that the NASS approved a budget of N28tn which the President signed. What the President signed was the budget approved by the National Assembly, by the two houses.
“The 2023 supplementary budget was passed separately to run concurrently with this year’s budget until March.”
Ningi further announced that the Northern Senators Forum plans to confront Akpabio with its findings on the budget.
He added, “We want to show him what we have seen in the budget that is not acceptable, we will not accept them, and we don’t want the country to continue spending money on those things,”
The Head of Press and Public Relations Unit at the Ministry of Finance, Chukwu Helen, stated her inability to confirm whether the budget was padded with the mentioned amount.
She assured to provide confirmation after consulting with the ministry’s budget officer.
Recall that on November 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu unveiled the “Renewed Hope budget” totaling N27.5tn before a joint section of the National Assembly, as reported by BIZTELLERS.
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has launched a 5-day Hands-on Oracle Primavera P6 Training in Rivers State, targeting 50 participants.
The training, being executed by Mathnebi Nig. Ltd, commenced today, March 16th and will run until Friday, March 20th.
The intensive hands-on program aims to equip participants with practical skills in project management using Oracle Primavera P6, enhancing their capabilities in the energy and construction sectors.
The NCDMB’s sponsorship of the training underscores its commitment to boosting local capacity and driving Nigeria’s economic growth through skills development.
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The training is expected to benefit participants and contribute to the development of Nigeria’s project management landscape.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sworn in Mr. Taiwo Oyedele as Nigeria’s new Minister of State for Finance at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
The swearing-in ceremony took place shortly after the Senate confirmed Oyedele’s nomination last Wednesday.
Oyedele, 50, from Ikaram, Akoko in Ondo State, brings over two decades of experience in fiscal policy and tax administration.
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He previously chaired the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which overhauled Nigeria’s tax system, introducing zero income tax for Nigerians earning N800,000 or less and exemptions for small businesses with turnovers below N50 million.
During his Senate screening, Oyedele described his appointment as “a call to serve at a critical time when Nigeria faces significant fiscal challenges and remarkable opportunities.”
He replaces Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, who has been redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
Oyedele also spent 22 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, held executive programs at top global institutions including the London School of Economics and Harvard Kennedy School, and currently serves as a professor at Babcock University.
The minister’s appointment signals a continued focus on implementing the Tax Reform Acts, which took effect on January 1, 2026, and aim to simplify Nigeria’s tax system while boosting economic growth.
Passengers were thrown into panic on Monday after a train operating along the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor derailed, leaving several passengers injured and disrupting services on the busy route.
The train, which was travelling from Kaduna to Abuja, reportedly failed to reach its destination as scheduled after the incident occurred along the rail line linking both cities.
According to passengers on board, the incident happened suddenly, sending shock through the coaches as the train came to an abrupt halt.
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Some passengers said they heard a loud bang before the train jolted violently, throwing several occupants off their seats.
Eyewitnesses said the sudden impact caused confusion inside the train compartments, with some passengers sustaining cuts and bruises after hitting seats and metal fittings.
Initial reports suggested that the Abuja-bound train might have collided with another train along the corridor, forcing rail operations to pause temporarily while authorities assessed the situation.
A source within the Nigerian Railway Corporation confirmed the incident but declined to give full details, noting that he was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter.
One of the passengers, Sada Malumfashi, shared his experience on social media shortly after leaving the train.
He described the moment as frightening, stating that the loud sound and sudden stop caused many passengers to be flung from their seats.
He said the train remained stationary for about 30 minutes before the journey resumed slowly toward Kubwa, located on the outskirts of Abuja.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Callistus Unyimadu, confirmed the development and said an official statement would be issued.
Authorities are yet to disclose the exact cause of the derailment or the full extent of injuries as investigations continue.
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