2025 N47.9 Trillion Budget: A Promise of Restoration or Another Blow to Struggling Nigerians?

2025 budget

President Bola Tinubu has unveiled the 2025 budget proposal of N47.9 trillion, but for everyday Nigerians grappling with broken promises and rising hardships, the real question remains: will this budget bring genuine restoration or just more empty rhetoric?

Development Diaries reports that the president presented the Appropriation Bill 2025, themed ‘Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity’, before the National Assembly on Wednesday, 18 December.

With this budget, the government aims to stabilise the economy and address critical sectors like defence, security, infrastructure, health, and education.

While the emphasis on security with an allocation of N4.91 trillion highlights the government’s recognition of the inseparable link between peace and development, the allocation also raises concerns about the proportionate funding of other critical sectors like health and education, which are foundational to human capital development.

Also, while security remains vital, the N3.52 trillion allocated to education and N2.48 trillion to health may not suffice to address the significant gaps in these sectors, particularly given the urgent need for infrastructure, teacher recruitment, and primary healthcare revitalisation.

The tenth National Assembly needs to scrutinise these allocations to ensure equitable funding that effectively addresses Nigeria’s developmental needs.

Additionally, priority needs to be given to targeted measures for accountability in the use of the N826.90 billion allocated to educational infrastructure.

President Tinubu’s projection of economic growth, declining inflation, and an improved exchange rate signals optimism. However, the proposed budget deficit of N13.08 trillion and debt servicing allocation of N15.81 trillion call for caution.

The National Assembly must critically evaluate the sustainability of these figures.

Efforts to boost revenue to the targeted N34.82 trillion need to be backed by transparent and strategic fiscal policies that promote tax efficiency and curb revenue leakages.

The emphasis on infrastructure development, including energy and transport, is commendable; however, the National Assembly must ensure that these projects are funded transparently and completed on schedule.

Moreover, leveraging private capital for infrastructure should not disproportionately benefit a few at the expense of public interest.

A framework for monitoring public-private partnerships is essential to ensure accountability.

Development Diaries calls on the National Assembly to enforce strict oversight and transparency measures for the 2025 budget to ensure funds are effectively utilised for the benefit of all Nigerians.

We also advocate increased allocations to education and health to actualise the urgent need for teacher recruitment, infrastructure improvements, and primary health care revitalisation.

Additionally, lawmakers must scrutinise and adjust budget allocations to address disparities in funding critical sectors. All Nigerians need to feel the impact of government interventions.

Finally, citizens must actively hold their leaders accountable for their promises, while the government must back its optimistic projections of growth and prosperity with concrete policies that genuinely address the hardships faced by ordinary Nigerians.

Photo source: Bola Tinubu

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