Senate Approves N1.485trn 2025 Budget For Rivers Amid Oversight Concerns

The Senate has approved the 2025 appropriation bill for Rivers State, amounting to N1.485 trillion, following its third reading on Tuesday.

The passage followed the consideration of a report by the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State during the Committee of Supply session.

The bill authorises the withdrawal of ₦1,485,662,592,442 from the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.

A breakdown of the approved budget includes ₦120.8 billion for debt servicing, ₦287.38 billion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and a capital expenditure allocation of ₦1.077 trillion.

While supporting the bill, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) expressed concern over the additional ₦50 billion earmarked for paying outstanding pensions and gratuities.

He urged the Senate committee to strengthen oversight mechanisms to ensure the funds are disbursed transparently and reach legitimate pension beneficiaries.

The budget is now expected to move forward for assent and implementation by the Rivers State administrator.

President Bola Tinubu had earlier submitted the Rivers State 2025 budget to the National Assembly in May, following the suspension of the state House of Assembly. In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu noted that the budget proposal—initially ₦1.481 trillion—aims to revamp critical sectors in the state.

He also transmitted a similar request to the House of Representatives, citing a Supreme Court ruling that voided the budget that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had passed.

The budget approval marks a new phase in the state’s administration, following months of political tension between Governor Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.

In response to the political crisis, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, and appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) as interim administrator to oversee state affairs for six months.