The Senate has, for the fourth time, extended the implementation period of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act from September 30, 2026, to December 31, 2026.
The resolution followed a motion moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, after an executive session and clause-by-clause consideration at the Committee of Supply.
Bamidele said the extension would provide more time to complete critical capital projects for which funds had already been released, particularly projects at advanced stages of completion.
He said the move would also help sustain economic activity, support local contractors, improve the utilisation of released funds and enhance budget performance and public service delivery.
The Senate Leader clarified that the amendment was not intended to introduce new projects, adding that the extension should not be viewed as a relaxation of fiscal accountability but as a measure in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
The capital implementation period for the 2025 budget was initially scheduled to end on December 31, 2025. It was later extended to March 31, 2026, then June 30 and subsequently September 30, 2026.
The latest extension means federal ministries, departments and agencies now have until December 31, 2026, to implement capital projects and utilise funds appropriated under the 2025 budget.
During the debate, the Deputy Senate President said the extension was necessary to ensure that ongoing projects, including those inherited from previous administrations, were not abandoned.
The House of Representatives has also approved the extension of the capital component of the 2025 budget to December 31, 2026.
The latest amendment followed a request from President Bola Tinubu seeking additional time for MDAs to complete critical infrastructure projects and other capital expenditures captured under the 2025 fiscal framework.
The repeated extensions come despite President Tinubu’s earlier pledge to streamline Nigeria’s budgeting process and eliminate concurrent and overlapping budget cycles.