Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq presented a ₦644 billion appropriation bill to the state House of Assembly on Monday. The proposed 2026 budget heavily prioritizes capital projects and security infrastructure. Governor AbdulRazaq said the plan aims to address urgent needs, including a response to worsening insecurity in rural parts of the state.
The total proposed budget size is ₦644,004,816,893. A significant majority, 65.98 percent, is dedicated to capital expenditure. The remaining 34.02 percent is allocated for recurrent spending. Recurrent costs will cover worker welfare and social protection programs.
The governor said the Kwara 2026 budget would focus on completing ongoing projects. It will also start new projects aligned with strategic needs. A major area of investment will be security. The government plans to buy security hardware, vehicles, and technology. This is meant to improve responses to kidnapping and other criminal activities.
This security spending emphasis follows a series of violent incidents. Communities in Ekiti Local Government Area have suffered repeated raids. An attack on a church in Eruku on November 19 left three people dead and over 30 kidnapped. Those abducted were later freed on November 23. Bandits also struck Isapa, kidnapping 11 residents. Other incidents include kidnappings from farmlands in Patigi and the abduction of two Chinese workers from a road project site.
The budget is named the “Budget of Consolidation and Sustained Growth”. It is based on national economic assumptions. These include an oil price of $64.85 per barrel and an exchange rate of ₦1,400 to the dollar. The governor expressed confidence that completed projects would expand the state's economy and create jobs.
The plan includes specific measures for worker welfare. Governor AbdulRazaq announced an adjustment to the earnings of medical officers. A new Teachers Salary Allowance (TSA) will also start in 2026. He said the administration is investing in an Alfalfa Estate project. This aims to reduce conflicts between herders and farmers and improve food security.
Legislative Response and Project Track Record
Speaker of the House Salihu Yakubu-Danladi responded to the presentation. He commended the governor for fiscal discipline and transparency. The Speaker pledged that lawmakers would give the budget expedited consideration. He said the legislature was encouraged by the administration's infrastructure projects and security efforts.
The governor listed several projects completed in the past year. His administration finished 38 roads and 29 interlock access lanes. Another 264 kilometers of roads are under construction across the state's three senatorial districts. He also noted the completion of the Innovation Hub, the Kwara Hotel, and the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Hospital.
The budget presentation was attended by the deputy governor, senior officials, traditional rulers, and party leaders.