The Nigerian Senate has passed the 2025 Rivers State budget, authorizing the spending of N1.48 trillion under the current emergency administration in the state. The approval followed a plenary session where lawmakers deliberated extensively on the budget’s general principles before its adoption.
The budget, which was presented to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu in May, is described as an urgent intervention aimed at restoring governance and accelerating development in Rivers State. The state has been under emergency rule amid political instability and governance breakdown.
During the session on Wednesday , Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the passage of the appropriation bill following a voice vote, with a majority of senators supporting the motion.
The decision came after the presentation of a report by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who also chairs the Senate Ad hoc Committee on the emergency situation in Rivers State. In his submission, Bamidele provided a detailed breakdown of the budget, recommending the allocation of:
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N120 billion for debt servicing
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N287 billion for recurrent non-debt expenditure
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N1 trillion for capital projects
He emphasized that the budget was crafted to tackle the most urgent developmental needs of the state, particularly in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, and security—sectors that have suffered due to the political crisis and administrative vacuum.
“The goal is to stabilize Rivers State and lay the groundwork for long-term development and democratic governance,” Bamidele told lawmakers.
The Senate’s decision follows weeks of national attention on the situation in Rivers, where the federal government declared a state of emergency following escalating political tensions and breakdown of legislative-executive cooperation. The emergency rule allowed the federal government to take over administrative responsibilities pending the restoration of normalcy.
President Tinubu’s request for an emergency budget was sent to the National Assembly with a strong appeal for swift approval, citing the risk of deepening socio-economic disruption if immediate funding was not made available for critical services and infrastructure.
