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By Gloria Ikibah

The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Rep. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, has declared that the 2025 NDDC budget will be subjected to strict scrutiny to ensure it delivers measurable development outcomes for communities in the Niger Delta.

Speaking on Tuesday during the budget defence of the Commission at the National Assembly in Abuja, Rep. Ibori-Suenu said the NDDC budget remains a vital instrument through which the Federal Government brings development to the oil-producing region.

In her welcome address, the Committee Chairman said the session was a reflection of a shared commitment to the progress of the region.

She said: “The importance of the NDDC budget cannot be over-emphasised. It remains the principal vehicle through which the Federal Government delivers meaningful development to the people of the Niger Delta.

“Your attendance underscores the significance we all attach to this critical exercise and our shared commitment to the development of the Niger Delta region”.
She commended the Managing Director of the Commission and his team for honouring the invitation, describing their presence as a mark of responsibility and dedication to public service.

According to the committee chair, the House would not treat the 2025 budget as routine, as she emphasised that lawmakers will go beyond approval to ensure that allocations translate into visible improvements in people’s lives.

She listed key priority areas to include infrastructure development, human capacity building, youth empowerment and economic inclusion across the Niger Delta.

Rep. Ibori-Suenu made it clear that the coming fiscal year will mark a departure from past practices.

“As a Committee, we recognise that our duty goes beyond mere approval; it is our responsibility to subject this budget to rigorous scrutiny to ensure that every allocation translates into tangible outcomes for the people.

“It is important to clearly state that the 2025 NDDC Budget will not be business as usual. Every line item must be purposeful, people-centred, and strategically aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” she stated.

She added that the budget must directly address long-standing development gaps and ensure inclusive growth. While assuring the Commission of the committee’s support, the lawmaker emphasised that accountability would not be compromised.

“This budget must speak directly to the aspirations of the Niger Delta people by addressing longstanding developmental gaps, fostering sustainable growth, and ensuring that no community is left behind.

“The House Committee on NDDC will continue to offer its unwavering and constructive support to the Commission, while also demanding accountability, transparency, and value for money in the execution of approved projects and programmes,” she said.

In his submission, the Managing Director of NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, stated that the Commission has shifted from a transactional approach to a transformational one, with a clear focus on practical outcomes.

Ogbuku explained that the transformation agenda is designed to be inclusive and far-reaching, covering key areas such as youth training, support for entrepreneurs, infrastructure delivery and overall development.

According to him, the Commission’s renewed direction is aimed at ensuring that its interventions have real impact on communities across the Niger Delta and contribute meaningfully to sustainable growth in the region.

“In line with the promise of the present Management to make the 2025 Budget participatory which is evident of why we are here has been to give the Niger Delta region, a new dawn of progress and development.

Giving a review of the 2024 NDDC budget, he said “an aggregate revenue of N1.911 trillion naira wes projected to fund the 2024 Budget “Budget of Renewed Hope”. This comprise Overhead costs of N76.77 billion and Capital cost of N1.820 trillion.

“As of October 31st, 2025, the Commission’s actual revenue stood at N1.945 trillion, exceeding the target of N1.911 trillion for April 2024 – September 2025 by 104%. This was largely due to the extension of the 2024 budget to December 31st, 2025.

“Due to extension of the capital budget, the performance of the overhead budget as shown in the above table for both 2024 and 2005 fiscal year.

“For the 2025 Budget, our main goal is to strengthen our foundation for sustainable economic growth, marking a snl from transactional to transformational approaches. A key focus is sectoral funding allocation, moving away from line-item budgeting that hindered contractors from resuming projects.

“The 2025 Budget, themed “Budget of Consolidation’, proposes N1.75 trillion based on revenue assumptions. This represents a 9% decrease from 2024, driven by  no-borrowing approach.

“The proposed personnel budget estimates for 2025 personnel is N47.5 Billion. We shall sustain our efforts in managing our overhead costs. Accordingly, Overhead costs are projected at N96.4 Billion.

“Investing in critical infrastructure is a key component of our fiscal strategy under the 2025 Budget Proposals. The present Management are renavigating its process of intervention by adopting Public-Private-Partnership model as a vehicle to drive a sustainable development in the Niger Delta Region.

“Our fiscal reforms shail introduce new performance management frameworks to regulate the overhead cost. Accordingly, only activities that are tied to measurable programmes will be approved. We have moved away from the previously line tem budgeting system to sectoral allocation of fund to encourage confident.