In a decisive effort to prevent the abandonment of critical infrastructure projects, the Nigerian Senate has approved a second extension of the capital component of the 2024 Appropriation Act, shifting its expiration date from June 30, 2025, to December 31, 2025.
The motion for the extension was passed during Tuesday’s plenary session, presided over by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who announced that the bill had sailed through first, second, and third readings in a single sitting — an indication of the urgency and legislative consensus around the matter.
Leading the debate on the floor of the Senate, Senator Adeola Olamilekan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, stressed the necessity of the extension in light of Nigeria’s ongoing fiscal constraints and the significant number of capital projects that remain uncompleted.
According to him, failing to grant an extension would risk wasting already-committed resources and potentially stall national development.
“Without this extension, we risk abandoning critical infrastructure initiatives across the country — from roads and bridges to hospitals and energy projects,” Senator Olamilekan emphasized.
“These projects are not only vital to economic growth but also to improving the quality of life for millions of Nigerians.”
He also noted that government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) have encountered delays in capital project execution due to late releases of funds and procurement bottlenecks.
This latest amendment follows an initial extension granted in late 2024 after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu formally requested that the expiration date for capital budget execution be moved from December 31, 2024 to June 30, 2025. At the time, the President cited the need to optimize budget implementation, ensure continuity of major projects, and allow MDAs more time to complete procurement and mobilization.
The newly approved December 31, 2025 deadline is aimed at providing an even broader window for executing large-scale, capital-intensive initiatives — many of which were disrupted by administrative delays, funding gaps, and shifting policy priorities.
Despite the smooth passage of the extension bill, some lawmakers voiced concern over the federal government’s slow release of capital funds, especially considering recent fiscal reforms. These include the removal of fuel subsidies and the introduction of new tax measures, which were expected to increase the government’s spending power.
Several senators demanded transparency and accountability, asking whether the capital allocations for 2024 had been fully released, and if not, why funds had not been disbursed as scheduled. They questioned the fiscal discipline of the executive arm and called for a comprehensive audit of the status of ongoing projects.
