Manny Ita
The Kwara State House of Assembly on Friday, January 30, 2026, approved a ₦656,595,559,298.49 budget for the 2026 fiscal year, prioritizing capital investment over recurrent spending. The passed appropriation bill represents an increase of approximately ₦10.59 billion over the ₦646 billion originally proposed by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in December 2025. Following the presentation of the report by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, the legislature adjusted the fiscal plan to reduce recurrent expenditure to ₦212.6 billion—a cut of ₦6.4 billion—while increasing transfers to the Capital Development Fund to ₦271 billion to bolster infrastructure projects across the state.
Under the revised spending plan, recurrent revenue is projected at over ₦409.6 billion, while debt servicing was allocated ₦14.2 billion. The final budget structure remains heavily weighted toward capital development, consistent with Governor AbdulRazaq’s earlier statement that the “capital-heavy structure was aimed at completing ongoing projects and addressing urgent public needs across the state.” This fiscal strategy follows recent developmental milestones for the state, including a $57.2 million partnership with the Islamic Development Bank for livestock production and a ₦20 billion approval specifically earmarked to address gaps in school infrastructure.
The 2026 budget, which stands as the largest in the state’s recent history, has now been transmitted to the Governor for his assent. The legislative review process included ministerial budget defense sessions where ministries, departments, and agencies justified their allocations before the final adjustments were made. By shifting more resources toward capital expenditure, the state government aims to reinforce fiscal discipline while ensuring the effective implementation of its socio-economic programs for the upcoming year.
