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Just In: Senate Extends 2024 Budget Implementation to December 31

Published

2 weeks ago

June 24, 2025

Admin

The Senate has for the second time extended the implementation of the capital component of the 2024 budget to December 31, 2025.

The Red Chamber made the resolution during the plenary on Tuesday, following the amendment of the appropriation bill requesting an extension.

The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, announced the extension of the appropriation bill following its first, second and third reading expeditious passage.

The appropriation bill was considered at the Senate Committee on Supply.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Olamilekan Adeola, led the debate during the plenary.

Adeola, the senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, explained that the extension was required to allow the federal government to complete ongoing projects captured in the budgets.

He also claimed that the Nigerian government does not have enough resources to capture the expenditures proposed in the budget.

The appropriations committee chairman, therefore, urged his colleagues to support the extension of the 2024 budget in order to avoid abandoned projects of the federal government in different parts of the country.

The capital component of the 2024 budget was initially moved from December 31, 2024 to June 30, 2025, following a request by President Bola Tinubu.

The President’s justification at the time was to enable the executive arm to complete ongoing capital projects and optimise budgetary allocations. That extension was granted after extensive debate and consideration by both chambers of the National Assembly.

However, as the 30 June 2025 deadline approached, it became evident that several critical projects funded under the 2024 budget had not been completed, prompting the fresh extension.

With the new deadline of 31 December 2025, Nigeria is now operating two budgets within a single fiscal year: the 2024 budget, which is still being implemented and the 2025 budget, which has already passed and is currently in force.

As of the time it was extended in 2024, some critics argued that the extensions reflect weak execution capacity within government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, while supporters of the move believed it ensures value for money and completion of critical infrastructure projects that otherwise would have been abandoned.

News

Malnutrition Cost Nigeria $1.5bn Yearly- Rep Okafor

Published

21 minutes ago

July 9, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

…as Nigeria rank 2nd globally

By Gloria Ikibah

Chairman House Committee on Food and Nutrition, Rep. Chike Okafor, has said that malnutrition in the Nigeria cost the nation about 1.5 billion dollars annually.

Re. Okafor who stated this at the ongoing National summit on nutrition and food security on Wednesday in Abuja, said the summit was organised to profer solutions to halt the growing concerns about the effect of malnutrition and lack of adequate food on Nigerians.

He added that beyond the health effects of malnutrition and lack of food which include Stunting, low birth weight, Anaemia in children, adolescent girls and women, there is a considerable cost economically.

According to him, the cost of inaction on these parameters on the Nigeria’s economy is aggregated to about 12.2% of the Country’s Gross National Income, about $56b, based on data from Nutrition International and the World Bank.

He said: “Food insecurity has been aggravated by post-harvest loss, estimated at $2b by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), yearly, this colossal loss alone is more than the Nutrition budget of the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Education and Women Affairs put together.

“This continued loss is not only unacceptable, but unsustainable given the austere times in which we currently live. On the above premise my committee is working with those in the 36 states of the federation to do things differently.

“First of all, we are undertaking strategic capacity building sessions to have a better understanding of the root and dynamics of current nutrition and food security challenges in Nigeria. A wise man once said that once you are not informed, you are deformed.

“We are hoping that the capacity building sessions are institutionalized in partnership with the National Institute of Democratic and Legislative Studies, with support from our ever helpful development partners.

“This will put us in a better pedestal to provide strategic oversight to all nutrition and food related interventions and implementing partners, including but not limited to the UN family, the World Bank, International and National NGOs, and of course the government at Federal, State and Local Government levels. By so doing, we will not only have more money for nutrition, but also more nutrition for the available money”.

In her remarks, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Uju Anwukah said Nigeria currently ranks second on the global scale of malnutrition and the first on the African continent.

Anwukah who spoke on the topic: “Strengthening Nutrition Co-ordination in Nigeria through the N-774 Initiative”, explained that Nigeria signed up on the N-774 initiative as a way of addressing malnutrition right from the grassroot level, adding that the initiative has been endorsed by the National Council on Food security and the Nigerian Governors Forum.

News

Ghanaian Photographer Buried in Camera-Designed Casket as Tribute to His Passion

Published

2 hours ago

July 9, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A Ghanaian photographer has captured worldwide attention after being buried in a casket designed in the shape of a camera — a symbolic tribute to his lifelong dedication to photography.

The unique burial was revealed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) by user @eddie_wrt, who shared a video of the poignant ceremony.

In the footage, pallbearers are seen carrying the camera-shaped coffin to the gravesite, honoring the late photographer in a deeply personal and creative way.

The video quickly went viral, sparking emotional reactions online as users praised the powerful tribute and shared messages of admiration.

See some reactions below:

@Wee3ny3: “Don’t try to die now wait make this generation finish before you do.”

@AmanorJulious: “Diogo Jota make lucky say he no be Ghanaian like no be small football boot.”

@evils_only: “Eiiiiii Ghana oooooooh nooooooo. Who even brought this style.”

News

Deadline for Hajj 2026 registration extended by 48hrs

Published

2 hours ago

July 9, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The deadline for Hajj 2026 registration has been extended by two 48hours.

According to Spokesperson of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Haromy Muhammad Umar Butt, the registration will now continue by Friday through designated banks and the Ministry’s online portal.

He said this decision was made in response to requests from intending pilgrims to keep the registration process open until Friday. He said so far, 313,000 individuals have completed their registration for next year’s Hajj. The expenses and other terms and conditions for Hajj 2026 will be issued separately in accordance with the official Hajj policy.