Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has presented a proposed ₦1.854 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly, marking his first appearance before the Assembly led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule since the political crisis that fractured the legislature in 2023.
The budget presentation signals a significant political milestone following the reconciliation between Governor Fubara and members of the Assembly after nearly three years of parallel legislative sittings.
Tagged “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” the proposal is aimed at sustaining economic growth, expanding infrastructure, strengthening human capital development and increasing social investments across Rivers State.
Governor Fubara projected total revenue of ₦1.854 trillion for the 2026 fiscal year, representing a 24.49 per cent increase over the adjusted 2025 budget. He attributed the anticipated growth to higher allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), increased derivation revenue and improved internally generated revenue (IGR).
The proposed budget allocates ₦413.1 billion for recurrent expenditure and ₦1.405 trillion for capital projects.
Key capital allocations include:
- ₦533.3 billion for works and infrastructure
- ₦315 billion for education
- ₦105.4 billion for healthcare
- ₦41.4 billion for the Rivers State House of Assembly
- ₦30 billion for the judiciary
- ₦19.3 billion for agriculture
Governor Fubara also announced plans to increase overhead allocations to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) by at least 50 per cent, while pledging to settle outstanding gratuities and death benefits owed to retired civil servants.
He said his administration remains committed to prudent financial management, transparency and accountability, assuring residents that public funds would be judiciously utilised to drive development and improve livelihoods.
“We will ensure every kobo is spent wisely to create jobs for our people. The collective interests of our people are most important to us as a government,” the governor said.
He urged lawmakers to give the appropriation bill speedy consideration, describing it as a people-focused blueprint designed to accelerate development, attract investment, create employment opportunities and enhance the quality of life for residents of Rivers State.
