After about 10 month he was officially reinstated following a six-month state of emergency, Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Friday presented a N1.854 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly.
The focus of the budget is infrastructure, education and healthcare, all the three sectors receiving the highest allocations.
Persecondnews recalls that Fubara had earlier explained that the budget prepared by the military administrator Ibok Ekwe would run until mid-2026.
Tagged the “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” the proposed budget stands at N1,854,248,734,475.76, representing a 24.49 per cent increase over the adjusted 2025 budget.
Presenting the estimates before the Assembly on Friday, Fubara said the budget was designed to sustain economic growth, expand critical infrastructure, and improve the welfare of the people of Rivers State.
He explained that the projected revenue would be sourced from internally generated revenue (IGR), Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations, derivation funds, Value Added Tax (VAT), exchange gains and capital receipts.
According to the governor, N413.11 billion has been earmarked for recurrent expenditure, while N1.405 trillion is proposed for capital projects.
Infrastructure leads the fiscal plan with a top allocation of ₦533.32 billion, followed by Education at ₦315 billion and Healthcare at ₦105.43 billion.
The budget also funds critical areas including agriculture, power, youth and sports development, women’s affairs, the judiciary, and the State House of Assembly.
According to Fubara, the budget focuses on completing ongoing road projects, upgrading schools and hospitals, generating employment, and expanding economic opportunities across Rivers State.
He also assured civil servants and retirees that adequate provisions had been made for the payment of outstanding gratuities, pensions and death benefits.
The governor appealed to the lawmakers to give the appropriation bill expeditious consideration, acknowledging the delayed presentation of the budget and expressing optimism that its early passage would facilitate effective implementation.
Responding, Speaker Martin Amaewhule, assured the governor that the Assembly would give the appropriation bill prompt legislative attention.
Amaewhule described the budget proposal as comprehensive and reaffirmed the commitment of the lawmakers to ensuring its timely passage in the overall interest of the people of Rivers State.
Persecondnews recalls that Fubara was officially reinstated as the Governor of Rivers State on September 18, 2025.
His reinstatement came exactly six months after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025 which temporarily suspended Fubara, the Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly following a severe political crisis and escalating tensions.
During the suspension, former Chief of Naval Staff Ibok Ekwe Ibas served as the state’s sole administrator until the emergency rule expired and full democratic governance was restored.
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