Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the proposed ₦58.18 trillion 2026 budget delivers tangible and measurable benefits to Nigerians, warning that headline figures mean little without real impact on citizens’ lives.
Reacting to the budget presentation at a joint sitting of the National Assembly on Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the moment as significant but cautioned against celebrating the size of the spending plan while economic hardship persists across the country.
She stressed that fiscal magnitude alone cannot address Nigeria’s deep-rooted development challenges, insisting that the success of the 2026 Appropriation Bill should be judged by outcomes, not numbers.
“Of all the lengthy speeches, one line by Mr President struck me deeply,” the senator said. “It’s not the size of the budget, but the quantum of impact felt by Nigerians.”
According to her, while the ₦58.18 trillion proposal reflects the scale of Nigeria’s economic ambitions and structural problems, Nigerians are far more concerned with how government spending will translate into concrete improvements in their daily lives.
She noted that citizens expect budgets to go beyond impressive projections on paper and deliver visible results, including sustainable job creation, functional infrastructure, affordable healthcare, quality education and accessible social services.
Akpoti-Uduaghan added that without clear implementation, transparency and accountability, even the largest budgets risk widening the gap between government promises and the lived realities of the people.
