Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has laid out a comprehensive financial plan for the state's future, presenting a proposed budget of N890,331,686,000.00 for the 2026 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly. The presentation, made on Monday, December 30, 2025, designates the education sector as the top priority with a massive allocation of N135.43 billion.
A Budget for Recovery and Growth
Christened the "Budget of Sustained Recovery and Growth," the proposal clearly signals the administration's focus on long-term development. Governor Zulum emphasized that the budget structure, with over 61% dedicated to capital expenditure and about 39% for recurrent spending, is a strategic move to rebuild infrastructure and communities still recovering from years of insurgency.
In his address to the lawmakers, Governor Zulum stated the budget is a testament to his government's dedication to fostering economic vitality and securing a safer, more prosperous future for all citizens of Borno State.
Sectoral Breakdown: Where the Money is Going
The detailed sectoral allocations reveal the government's key development areas. The education sector's leading N135,430,647,000.00 is earmarked for constructing new schools, rehabilitating destroyed facilities, funding scholarship programmes, and recruiting teachers statewide.
Following education, other major beneficiaries of the capital expenditure include:
- Works and Housing: Allocated N94.27 billion for urban and rural road construction, new bridges, and major housing projects.
- Health: Granted N66.41 billion to complete and equip ongoing hospital projects and procure essential drugs.
- Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR): Received N58.71 billion, crucial for the return of internally displaced persons to their rebuilt communities.
- Agriculture: Allotted N44.95 billion to boost food security and support farmers.
Revenue Projections and Legislative Response
To fund the ambitious budget, the governor projected revenues from several streams. These include an estimated N317.69 billion from the Federation Account, N44.3 billion from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), and N417.23 billion from capital receipts like aid, grants, and the Capital Development Fund.
In response, the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, assured Governor Zulum of the legislature's commitment to a swift and diligent scrutiny of the budget proposal. He pledged a detailed review to ensure the final document aligns perfectly with the state's pressing developmental needs before its passage into law.
