Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is set to present the state’s 2026 Appropriation Bill to the House of Assembly on Friday, a move expected to end months of uncertainty over the state’s fiscal plans.
The budget presentation comes two weeks after the Assembly approved the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), which outlines the state’s projected revenue and expenditure over the next three years and serves as the basis for preparing the annual budget.
Under the approved framework, the Rivers State Government projects a budget of N1.84 trillion for 2026, with more than N400 billion allocated for recurrent expenditure, while over N1.4 trillion is earmarked for capital projects, reflecting the administration’s focus on infrastructure development.
Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, while presenting the MTEF on the floor of the Assembly, commended the executive for producing what he described as a practical fiscal roadmap for the state.
However, he expressed concerns over the revenue projections contained in the framework, arguing that they did not accurately reflect prevailing economic realities, particularly current international crude oil prices.
The expected presentation of the 2026 budget has generated widespread public interest following delays that sparked speculation about the prolonged political dispute between the executive and legislative arms of government in the state.
Once presented before the Assembly, the appropriation bill will be subjected to legislative consideration before it can be passed into law and implemented.
