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| President Bola Tinubu handing Rivers State budget letter to National Assembly speaker |
President Bola Tinubu formally transmitted a ₦1.481 trillion budget proposal for Rivers State to the National Assembly on Thursday, May 22, 2025. The request was read during plenary by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and by Senate President Godswill Akpabio in the Red Chamber .
The budget breaks down into four main votes. Infrastructure is allocated ₦324 billion. Health receives ₦166 billion. Education is set at ₦75.6 billion. Agriculture gets ₦31.4 billion . This mix aims to balance roads and hospitals with schools and farms.
Rivers State has been under a federal emergency rule since March 18, 2025. President Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the state assembly. He cited political instability and damage to oil facilities . A sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, now runs the state.
Supporters say the federal move ensures that key services keep running. They point to stalled projects and unpaid salaries before the emergency rule. They argue that a clear budget will restore order. Critics say the step erodes democracy and sidelines elected leaders. They worry about setting a troubling precedent.
Experts on public finance note that Rivers State is Nigeria’s top oil producer. Yet it struggles with revenue shortfalls and massive debt. The new budget aims to tap federal allocations and internally generated funds. Analysts warn that heavy borrowing could raise repayment costs next year.
The budget letter urges the National Assembly to “consider and pass the appropriation bill expeditiously.” It highlights the need to fund social services and maintain oil infrastructure. It also asks lawmakers to refrain from adding new projects that could inflate costs .
In February, the federal parliament approved a ₦54.99 trillion national budget. That figure rose from the president’s initial ₦54.2 trillion proposal after lawmakers added about ₦800 billion . The Rivers budget now joins dozens of sub-national budgets awaiting federal approval.
Local groups have called for transparency in the Rivers budget process. Civil society organisations urge clear project lists and real-time expenditure reports. They say citizens must track every naira to curb waste and corruption. The sole administrator has promised open data portals in due course.
Moving forward, the National Assembly faces a key test. Approving the budget will let vital services proceed. Rejecting or delaying it risks further instability and hardship. Lawmakers from Rivers and other states will weigh political and fiscal factors before voting.
The Rivers budget saga underscores broader tensions in Nigeria’s federal system. It raises questions about executive reach, state autonomy, and the role of emergency powers. As debate unfolds in Abuja, ordinary residents in Port Harcourt await signs of roads repaired, clinics staffed, and schools re-opened.