Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has officially enacted the state's record-breaking financial plan for the upcoming year. On Tuesday, the 16th of December 2025, the governor put his signature on the N1.729 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill, a historic spending blueprint that sets a new benchmark for the state's fiscal ambition.
A Budget of Acceleration and Ambitious Targets
Christened the "Budget of Accelerating the MORE Agenda," the new financial plan represents a massive leap from the previous year. It marks an increase of more than 70 per cent over the 2025 budget, a scale the Oborevwori administration has described as both bold and realistic. While signing the bill into law, the governor emphasized that this was not merely a document of numbers but a concrete plan for transformation.
"This is a budget of vision, action and expected deliverables," Governor Oborevwori stated, promising that the state government was ready to "hit the ground running" from the start of the new fiscal year. He pointed to improved fiscal management and a significant boost in the state's internally generated revenue in 2025 as the foundation that makes this expansive budget feasible, claiming these were achieved without extra tax pressure on residents.
Capital Projects Take Centre Stage
The structure of the colossal budget underscores a clear priority for development. A dominant 70 per cent of the N1.729 trillion has been allocated for capital expenditure, focusing on infrastructure and long-term projects. The remaining 30 per cent is designated for recurrent spending, which covers salaries and overheads. This 70:30 ratio is a deliberate strategy by the government to drive infrastructure-led growth across Delta State.
Beyond the budget, Governor Oborevwori used the occasion to give legal backing to three other critical pieces of legislation, signaling a multi-pronged policy thrust.
Strengthening Welfare, Education, and Security
The newly signed laws are designed to address fundamental areas of state governance:
The Delta State Social Investment Programme Law establishes a legal framework to ensure equitable distribution of social welfare interventions, particularly targeting vulnerable and underserved communities.
The Delta State Colleges of Education Law, 2025 standardises the operations of state-owned colleges of education. Crucially, it empowers these institutions to award both National Certificates in Education (NCE) and full education degrees, a move aimed at rapidly expanding the pipeline of qualified teachers in the state.
The Delta State Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Cultism (Amendment) Law, 2025 updates existing security legislation to confront contemporary threats. The governor noted that cult-related violence and organised crime remain persistent challenges in some areas, and the amended law is tailored to better reflect these current realities.
Commenting on the legislative process, the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, confirmed that the bills were passed after thorough scrutiny. He highlighted that the amended security law specifically plugs gaps in the old act, such as the previous lack of a clear legal definition for cultism.
With the budget now law, all eyes in Delta State will be on the execution of projects and the tangible delivery of the promised MORE Agenda across its communities in 2026.
