The Director-General of Nigeria's Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, has clarified the reasons behind the delayed publication of the country's quarterly budget implementation reports. He attributed the delays to the extension of the 2025 budget implementation timeline to June 2026 and the repeal and re-enactment of the 2025 Appropriation Act.
Statement on Sunday
Yakubu disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, addressing concerns over the non-release of fiscal performance reports typically expected within the regular reporting cycle. According to him, the National Assembly's decision on March 31 to extend the implementation of the 2025 capital budget to June 30, 2026, significantly altered the normal fiscal reporting framework. This necessitated additional reconciliation procedures across government institutions.
Key Factors Behind the Delay
“The recent adjustment in the publication schedule arose principally from the repeal and re-enactment process of the 2025 Appropriation Act concluded in December 2025, together with the subsequent extension of the implementation period of the 2025 Budget to June 2026,” Yakubu said. He explained that these fiscal adjustments effectively prolonged the lifespan of the 2025 budget beyond the conventional 12-month fiscal cycle typically associated with government budgeting.
Yakubu maintained that the Nigerian Constitution does not impose a strict one-year implementation period for budgets. Citing Sections 80 and 81 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, he noted that the provisions only require withdrawals from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to be authorised through an Appropriation Act or other legislation passed by the National Assembly. “Where the National Assembly lawfully extends, reenacts, or preserves expenditure authority beyond a single calendar year, such authority remains legally valid and enforceable until its expiration under law,” he stated.
Comprehensive Fiscal Reviews
The Budget Office boss noted that the extended implementation period triggered comprehensive fiscal reviews involving revenue performance, cash management, expenditure alignment, debt records, and financing updates before the reports could be finalised. Yakubu added that the agency is currently strengthening its digital reporting infrastructure and improving inter-agency coordination to ensure faster and more comprehensive fiscal reporting in line with global standards.
He cited countries such as the United States and India as examples of nations operating fiscal years that differ from the conventional calendar year framework. The DG also referenced Nigeria's post-COVID-19 budget extensions, noting that similar measures were previously adopted to sustain capital projects, support contractors' liquidity, and minimise economic disruptions.
Commitment to Transparency
“The Federal Government remains firmly committed to the principles of open budgeting, fiscal discipline, transparency, constitutional compliance, and accountable public financial management in accordance with global best practices,” Yakubu said. He assured that the outstanding quarterly budget implementation reports are currently being finalised and would be released in phases in the coming weeks. Yakubu further stated that ongoing reforms within the Budget Office are aimed at delivering more timely, detailed, and globally compliant fiscal reports.
