Ododo Unveils Over N800bn Draft Budget Estimates for 2026

Ododo Unveils Over N800bn Draft Budget Estimates for 2026

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Kogi State Executive Council presided over by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has approved the sum of eight hundred and twenty billion, four hundred and ninety million, five hundred and eighty five thousand four hundred and forty three (₦820,490,585,443) naira as the draft budget estimates for the 2026 fiscal year.

The proposal, tagged ‘Budget of Shared Prosperity: Driving Sustainable Growth for All,’ reflects an increase of ₦215.96 billion, representing 35.7 percent over the ₦604.53 billion revised budget for 2025.

Governor Ododo, who presided over the Executive Council meeting where the draft budget was presented, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to inclusive development, economic expansion and improved service delivery across all sectors.

According to the Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Asiwaju Asiru Idris who presented the draft budget before the council, the 2026 proposal is anchored on key fiscal and economic strategies aimed at strengthening the state’s revenue base, consolidating ongoing reforms, and driving sustainable growth.

“The budget comprises ₦470.01 billion recurrent revenue and ₦350.48 billion capital receipts. On the expenditure side, ₦360.67 billion is allocated for recurrent expenditure while ₦459.82 billion is proposed for capital expenditure, making the total outlay balanced at ₦820.49 billion,”

“The recurrent expenditure covers personnel costs, overheads, subventions, and debt servicing obligations of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), while the capital expenditure is targeted at completing ongoing projects and initiating new interventions in infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, and social welfare”.

Hon. Idris noted that the 2026 fiscal plan focuses on enhancing Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), encouraging public-private partnerships (PPP), strengthening debt recovery and repayment strategies and improving the ease of doing business in the state.

He stressed that the budget also seeks to mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal by prioritizing social protection programmes, rural development, support for small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and the promotion of alternative energy solutions such as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

The Commissioner explained that the draft budget was developed through an inclusive and participatory process involving stakeholder engagements, town hall meetings, and technical sessions with MDAs to ensure that citizens’ needs and priorities are adequately reflected.

Idris further added that Governor Ododo’s administration will maintain fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability in implementing the budget, noting that it is strategically designed to consolidate the gains recorded in 2025 and to deliver shared prosperity to the people of Kogi State.

The 2026 draft estimates is expected to be presented to the State House of Assembly by Governor Ododo for consideration and approval in the next few weeks.