Tinubu To Present Proposed 2026 Budget To N’Assembly Friday

As Senate set to screen nominees to head NUPRC, NMDPRA

The National Assembly has announced plans to formally receive the 2026 Appropriation Bill during a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives scheduled for Friday.

The notification was contained in a letter read on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen.

A similar correspondence was also read in the Senate by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.

According to the letter, President Bola Tinubu, in his capacity as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will present the proposed 2026 Budget at 2:00 p.m. on Friday.

Lawmakers were informed that concerns regarding the timing of the President’s arrival would be accommodated, with proceedings expected to move to the House of Representatives chamber by about 1:45 p.m.

The annual budget presentation marks the formal transmission of the Federal Government’s fiscal proposals to the National Assembly for legislative scrutiny, debate, and eventual approval.

Meanwhile, the Senate received two separate correspondences from President Tinubu seeking confirmation of appointments of chief executives for key petroleum regulatory agencies, in accordance with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

In the first letter, the President requested Senate confirmation of Engineer Saidu Muhammad as the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), pursuant to Section 41(6) of the PIA 2021.

The President explained that the nomination followed the resignation of the immediate-past Authority Chief Executive, stressing the need to prevent a leadership vacuum in the agency, which oversees critical midstream and downstream petroleum operations, including the authorization of vessel movements.

“I hope that the Senate will consider and confirm the nominee in an expeditious manner,” the President stated, while assuring the Senate President and distinguished senators of his highest regard.

The Senate President subsequently referred the nomination to the Committee of the Whole for immediate consideration, citing time constraints and the strategic importance of the position.

In a second correspondence, President Tinubu sought confirmation of Mr. Oritsemanori Sewa Inyosa as the Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), in line with Section 11(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.

The nomination was also necessitated by the resignation of the immediate past head of the commissions.

The President again urged the Senate to act expeditiously, emphasizing the need for continuity and stability in the regulation of the upstream petroleum sector.

This nomination was equally referred to the Committee of the Whole for prompt consideration and possible confirmation.