Niger Assembly Passes N177.88bn Budget For 25 LGAs

Niger State House of Assembly has passed into law the 2026 budget of N177.88 billion for the 25 local government areas in the state.

The passage was sequel to the presentation of the report of the House Standing Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs by its chairman, Hon. Bello Bako, during plenary presided over by the deputy speaker, Hon. Afiniki Eunice Dauda.

The committee informed the House that the budget of the councils were prepared in compliance with the provisions of Section 104(1) of the Local Government Law, 2001 (as amended).

He explained that the law provides that each Local Government Council shall prepare, in line with the general directives of the House of Assembly, detailed estimates of its revenue and expenditure for the next fiscal year for consideration and approval, with or without modification of house of Assembly.

According to him, the total budget size of the 25 Local Government Councils stands at ₦177,882,358,530.13, out of which ₦105,035,935,677.11 is earmarked for Recurrent Expenditure, while N72,846,422,853.02 is allocated for Capital Expenditure.

Hon.  Bako further disclosed that the Committee drew up a timetable to guide its engagement with all the 25 local government chairmen and relevant directors.

He said the Committee observed a serious manpower gap expected in the Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) in 2026 due to deaths and mass retirements across the 25 LGAs.

The chairman therefore advised that  recruitment should be conducted to fill the gap and recommended that adequate revenue provisions be made to cater for the employment of new officers.

After deliberations, the House dissolved into the Committee of Supply for clause-by-clause consideration of the report alongside the Bill and unanimously passed the 2026 Local Government Budget into law.

The deputy speaker, Hon. Afiniki Eunice Dauda, commended the chairman and members of the Committee for a job well done and directed the transmission of the bill for accent .