The Niger State House of Assembly on Tuesday received three significant communications from Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, all geared toward stabilizing the state’s finances and sustaining ongoing development efforts.
During plenary, Deputy Speaker Hon. Afiniki Eunice Dauda read the correspondences, beginning with a revised 2025 budget proposal. The governor slashed the earlier approved budget from ₦1.56 trillion to ₦1.09 trillion, attributing the cut to a major shortfall in Capital Receipts, which make up 60% of projected revenue.
The adjustment reflects a 30% reduction in expected Capital Receipts—from ₦939.8 billion to ₦448.64 billion.
According to Governor Bago, the underperformance has created fiscal gaps that undermined government programmes.
“This shortfall has affected the government’s developmental goals and overall budget performance,” he stated, adding that a reassessment showed the need to restructure both recurrent and capital expenditures to restore fiscal balance.
In a second request, the Assembly unanimously approved the reappointment of Mr. Mohammed Madami Etsu as Executive Chairman of the Niger State Internal Revenue Service (NIRS). His new and final four-year term will begin on January 5, 2026.
The Deputy Speaker commended Etsu’s “professional excellence, dedication, innovation, and creativity,” noting that these qualities have strengthened the state’s revenue profile over the past four years.
The third correspondence notified lawmakers of the governor’s intention to present the 2026 budget on December 12, 2025, explaining that recent developments in the state necessitated the adjusted timeline.
Governor Bago expressed appreciation for the House’s support and reaffirmed his commitment to inclusive and transparent governance.
Comments