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Governor Siminalayi Fubara has signed Rivers State’s ₦1.854 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, hours after the House of Assembly passed the budget.
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The governor described the budget as a fresh foundation for development, stressing the need for sustained cooperation between the executive and legislature.
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The Assembly amended the proposal, cutting ₦6 billion earmarked for PAMO University and redirecting the money to the State Primary Healthcare Development Board.
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The budget prioritises infrastructure, education and healthcare, with ₦1.405 trillion, representing about 76 percent, allocated to capital expenditure.
September 03, (THEWILL) — Governor Siminalayi Fubara has signed the Rivers State ₦1.854 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, formally giving effect to the spending plan approved by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Fubara assented to the budget on Thursday at the State Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt, describing the legislation as a significant departure that could usher in a new phase of development and cooperation between the executive and legislative arms of government.
The signing followed the passage of the budget on Thursday by the House, which approved the appropriation after legislative scrutiny and consideration of the estimates presented by the governor.
The governor expressed satisfaction with the completion of the budget process, saying it provided an opportunity for the two arms of government to build a more constructive working relationship in the interest of Rivers State.
He thanked members of the House for their role in the process and pledged his administration’s commitment to maintaining what he described as a constructive partnership with the legislature.
Fubara also acknowledged the role played by former Rivers governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in the political and legislative process that paved the way for the passage and signing of the budget.
The governor said the new fiscal framework would provide the basis for the administration to pursue its development priorities while strengthening cooperation among the institutions of government.
Presenting the bill for assent, the Majority Leader of the House, Major Jack, described the appropriation as an ambitious budget, saying lawmakers subjected its financial projections and proposed expenditures to detailed scrutiny.
He said the legislative review was aimed at ensuring that the budget would contribute meaningfully to the socioeconomic development of Rivers State.
Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, disclosed that the legislature made adjustments to the governor’s original proposal before its passage. One of the major amendments was the removal of ₦6 billion initially allocated to PAMO University of Medical Sciences.
According to Amaewhule, the allocation was withdrawn and redirected to the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Development Board because the university authorities failed to provide required details on previous expenditure and did not appear before the relevant legislative committees during the budget defence process.
The Speaker said the decision reflected the legislature’s oversight responsibility and its determination to ensure that public resources were properly accounted for before being appropriated.
The budget, christened “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development”, stands at ₦1,854,248,734,475.76, representing an increase of about 24.49 percent over the state’s adjusted 2025 budget.
Fubara had presented the estimates to the Assembly on July 10, saying the spending plan was designed to accelerate economic growth, strengthen human capital development, improve public service delivery and maintain fiscal stability.
The budget is heavily weighted towards capital expenditure, with ₦1.405 trillion, representing nearly 76 percent of the total provision, allocated to capital projects. Recurrent expenditure stands at ₦413.11 billion.
The emphasis on capital spending places infrastructure at the centre of the government’s development agenda.
The works and infrastructure sector receives the largest allocation of ₦533.32 billion, which is expected to support the construction and completion of roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure, as well as the maintenance of ongoing projects.
Education follows with ₦315 billion, reflecting the administration’s emphasis on human capital development and improvement of educational infrastructure and learning outcomes.
Healthcare receives ₦105.43 billion, while agriculture is allocated ₦19.26 billion and power ₦15 billion.
Other major provisions include ₦41.44 billion for the State House of Assembly, ₦30 billion for the judiciary, ₦7.98 billion for sports, ₦7 billion for youth development, ₦6.61 billion for environment and sustainable development and ₦6.5 billion for women’s affairs.
On the recurrent side, ₦154.77 billion is earmarked for personnel costs, including ₦15.22 billion for new recruitment, while ₦36.71 billion is provided for overheads.
The budget also makes provisions for ₦55.10 billion for pensions, ₦20 billion for gratuities, ₦20 billion for legacy pension gratuities, ₦7 billion for death benefits and ₦5 billion for group life insurance, in addition to debt-servicing obligations.
Fubara had pledged to increase overhead allocations to ministries, departments and agencies by 50 percent once the appropriation became law, with the objective of improving their operational capacity and public service delivery. He also assured workers and retirees that the budget contained provisions to address outstanding gratuities and death benefits accumulated under previous administrations.
On the revenue side, the government projects ₦487.61 billion from internally generated revenue, while ₦936.05 billion is expected from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, derivation funds, VAT and exchange gains.
The state expects another ₦382.48 billion from capital receipts, including domestic loans, grants and asset sales, while ₦48.11 billion is provided through opening and closing balances.
Fubara has described the budget as a people-centred fiscal blueprint intended to promote economic resilience, inclusive growth and improved living standards across the state’s 23 local government areas.
Among the administration’s stated priorities are the completion of ongoing road projects, expansion of transport infrastructure, repositioning of the education sector, improvement of healthcare delivery and continuation of social investment programmes.
Background
The passage and signing of the budget come against the backdrop of the prolonged political crisis that disrupted relations between the Rivers State executive and legislature.
The dispute between Fubara and political forces loyal to his predecessor, Wike, produced prolonged political and legal battles over control of the state’s political institutions and the composition and legitimacy of the House of Assembly.
The crisis escalated in 2025, culminating in the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the suspension of the elected state government and legislature.
Following the restoration of the elected government and legislative institutions, attention shifted to rebuilding institutional cooperation and restoring the normal constitutional processes of governance.
The 2026 budget process consequently assumed significance beyond the appropriation of public funds, as it also provided a test of the ability of the executive and legislature to work together after years of political confrontation.
With Fubara’s assent on Thursday, the ₦1.854 trillion appropriation has now become the state’s legal spending framework for the 2026 fiscal year, paving the way for implementation of the government’s programmes and projects.
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