Governor Ahmed Aliyu on Wednesday presented a ₦758.7 billion budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year to the Sokoto State House of Assembly, outlining an ambitious plan to strengthen security, expand social services and drive economic growth across the state.
The proposal, tagged the “Budget of Socio-Economic Expansion,” is designed to address persistent security challenges, rising living costs and increasing demand for infrastructure and public services in Sokoto State and the wider North-West region.
Addressing lawmakers during the presentation, Aliyu said the budget emerged from what he described as an unprecedented citizen-driven process. He explained that town hall meetings were held across the three senatorial districts—Tambuwal, Tangaza and Gwadabawa—where residents from all 23 local government areas and 244 political wards contributed inputs to the planning process.
According to the governor, the total budget size stands at ₦758,700,526,537.89, with projected revenue comprising ₦389.3 billion from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), ₦74.5 billion from internally generated revenue, and ₦233.8 billion from grants, aids and capital development funds.
Under the expenditure framework, the government proposed ₦551.4 billion for capital projects, representing 72 per cent of the total budget, while ₦207.2 billion, or 28 per cent, is allocated to recurrent expenditure, a ratio the governor said aligns with international fiscal benchmarks.
Security remains a central focus of the 2026 budget, with over ₦45.2 billion earmarked for the procurement of security equipment, patrol vehicles, motorcycles and other logistics to support security agencies combating banditry and violent crime in parts of the state.
In the health sector, ₦122.7 billion—about 16 per cent of the total budget—was proposed, exceeding the benchmark set by the 2001 Abuja Declaration. Aliyu said the funds would be used to complete the Sokoto State University Teaching Hospital, Murtala Muhammad Hospital, and major hospitals in Binji, Tambuwal and Sabon Birni, alongside the procurement of ambulances and modern medical equipment.
Education was allocated ₦115.9 billion, in line with UNESCO’s recommended funding range, while ₦109.1 billion was proposed for works and transportation, covering road construction, rehabilitation and improvements in public transport infrastructure.
Other sectoral allocations include ₦41.1 billion for water resources, ₦18.7 billion for agriculture, ₦17.4 billion for religious affairs, and ₦33.9 billion for humanitarian services, poverty reduction and youth empowerment programmes.
The governor noted that the economic sector received the largest share of the budget at 41 per cent, followed by the social sector with 37 per cent, reflecting the administration’s emphasis on growth, welfare and stability.
Providing further context, Aliyu told lawmakers that the 2026 proposal builds on improved fiscal performance in 2025, during which the state recorded over 65 per cent budget implementation and executed projects without borrowing.
He stressed that Sokoto State remains debt-free, has no outstanding liabilities to contractors and intends to sustain fiscal discipline in the coming fiscal year.
The Sokoto State House of Assembly is expec
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