By Tunde Omolehin
The Director of the National Education Summit, Professor Adams Agahiu, has advised the National Assembly to exercise restraint in its consideration of the 2026 Appropriation Bill, warning that inflating the budget through the insertion of constituency projects could weaken its credibility and undermine effective implementation.
Agahiu said persistent upward reviews of budget proposals not only strain fiscal discipline but also erode public confidence in government spending, stressing that the strength of a national budget lies in its realism, coherence and capacity for delivery, rather than its sheer size.
Speaking with journalists on Monday, the professor noted that excessive padding of the budget could jeopardise the prospects of consolidating ongoing economic reforms, stabilising recent gains and restoring trust among citizens who expect tangible outcomes from public expenditure.
Despite his concerns, Agahiu praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proposed N58.18 trillion 2026 budget, describing it as a significant step towards deepening fiscal reforms and repositioning the economy for sustainable growth.
According to him, the size and structure of the proposed budget signal renewed confidence in Nigeria’s revenue outlook, anchored on improvements in oil production, enhanced tax administration and stricter fiscal controls, even as the country continues to grapple with inflationary pressures and other macroeconomic headwinds.
He described the 2026 appropriation framework as a landmark in the Tinubu administration’s reform drive, noting that its assumptions are more conservative and realistic than those underpinning the 2025 budget, and represent a marked improvement over the 2024 and 2025 fiscal plans.
Agahiu emphasised that security spending features prominently in the budget, arguing that improved national security remains the bedrock of economic recovery, investment attraction and social stability.
He explained that increased allocations for equipment modernisation, logistics, mobility and operational readiness would enhance the capacity of security agencies to combat insurgency, banditry and other emerging threats across the country.
“The focus is not just on spending more, but on spending smarter. The aim is to transition from reactive policing to intelligence-led and technology-driven security operations, with greater emphasis on surveillance, data integration and proactive response,” he said.
The professor also highlighted the strong emphasis on infrastructure development in the budget, pointing to substantial investments in roads, railways, power and logistics networks.
He said these projects are deliberately framed as productivity-enhancing investments designed to unlock economic potential, boost competitiveness and support long-term growth, rather than being treated as short-term welfare expenditures.
