The National Assembly plans to formally receive the 2026 Appropriation Bill during a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives today.
The notification was contained in a letter read on the floor of the House of Representatives yesterday by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen.
A similar general correspondence was also read in the Senate by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
According to the letter, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his capacity as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will present the 2026 Budget at 2:00 p.m.
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 Engr Saidu Muhammad as the 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 occupant of the office, stressing the need to prevent a leadership vacuum in the agency, which oversees critical midstream and downstream petroleum operations, including the authorisation 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 the confirmation of Mr Oritsemanori Sewa Inyosa as the 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 commission.
He urged the Senate to act expeditiously, emphasising the need for continuity and stability in the regulation of the upstream petroleum sector.
The nomination was also referred to the Committee of the Whole for prompt consideration and possible confirmation.
