Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo on Tuesday presented a proposed 2026 fiscal plan of N820,490,584,443 to the State House of Assembly for consideration and approval.
The Ododo 2026 Budget Boost, titled Budget of Shared Prosperity: Driving Sustainable Growth For All, was designed to enhance revenue mobilisation, strengthen expenditure controls and deepen strategic investment in priority sectors.
The budget represents a 35.7 per cent increase from the 2025 estimate of N604,528,992,718, amounting to an upward difference of N215,961,592,725.
The proposal includes N367,448,083,683 for recurrent expenditure and N453,042,501,760 for capital expenditure.
Governor Ododo explained that the objectives of the 2026 plan include aggressive repayment of federal government debts, strengthening the state’s investment climate and blocking revenue leakages.
He added that the government intends to prioritise ongoing projects while introducing new initiatives aligned with the 32-year development plan.
According to him, the roadmap is intended to drive inclusive growth, expand opportunities and stabilise the state’s business environment.
In his response, Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly Aliyu Umar Yusuf appealed for executive support to fully computerise legislative operations.
He noted the Assembly’s shortage of trained personnel, stating that fewer than the required 200 support staff are currently available to deliver optimal legislative services.
Speaker Yusuf commended Governor Ododo for consistent fiscal discipline and notable improvements in infrastructure, security, agriculture, education and public financial management.
He assured the governor of accelerated but diligent scrutiny of the budget proposal, emphasising that lawmakers would adhere to global best practices throughout the appraisal process.
He urged the political heads and accounting officers of ministries, departments and agencies to honour invitations from standing committees for budget defence sessions, describing the engagement as essential for efficiency and transparency.
Governor Ododo’s previous proposal, the 2025 Budget of Inclusive Development, totalled N582.4 billion, with N279.6 billion allocated to recurrent expenditure and N302.8 billion to capital expenditure.
