Senators Sound Alarm Over Critical Funding Shortages in National Assembly
Members of the Nigerian Senate have raised serious concerns regarding what they describe as a severe paucity of funds, warning that this financial constraint is significantly hampering the operations of standing committees and jeopardizing the smooth implementation of the national budget.
Committee Operations Paralyzed by Lack of Resources
The alarming situation came to light during a crucial meeting held on Friday, January 30, 2026, between Senator Olamilekan Adeola, who chairs the powerful Senate Committee on Appropriations, and the chairmen of various standing committees. Senator Anthony Ani, representing Ebonyi South, revealed that his committee, the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission, has been completely unable to function since its inauguration due to receiving zero allocation from the Senate.
"Mr Chairman, you have read out the timetable to be followed by the various committees for consideration of the 2026 budget, but the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission that I belong to does not have money to organize a meeting with any agency due to zero allocation since formation and inauguration," Senator Ani stated emphatically.
He further disclosed that, based on credible information, other Senate committees overseeing zonal development commissions are facing similar funding challenges, raising fundamental questions about how these critical oversight bodies can effectively perform their constitutional duties without necessary resources.
Public Expectations Turning to Disappointment
Echoing these concerns, Senator Titus Zam, Chairman of the Senate Committee on North Central Development Commission, lamented that the funding deficit is rapidly transforming public enthusiasm about the newly established commissions into widespread disappointment.
"Lack of funding for the Committees on Zonal Development Commissions in the Senate is gradually turning excitement that heralded them into disappointment and even into lamentation," Senator Zam observed, highlighting the growing gap between political promises and practical implementation.
Budget Implementation Timeline Under Threat
Shifting focus to broader fiscal management, Senator Oyewunmi Olalere, Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate, issued a stark warning about the threatened timeline for transitioning to single budget implementation. He urged the Appropriations Committee to pressure revenue-generating agencies to meet their targets, noting that outstanding obligations from previous years are creating significant obstacles.
"The promise on single budget implementation from April 1st this year is being threatened, because parts of the capital component of the 2024 budget in terms of contracts execution, are not paid yet, not to talk of the 30% capital component of the 2025 budget expected to expire by the 31st of March," Senator Olalere explained.
With only two months remaining to clear these backlogged payments, he emphasized the urgent need for coordinated action between the committee and critical stakeholders to prevent the continuation of multiple budget implementations beyond the promised April 1, 2026 deadline.
Unresolved Obligations and Contractor Concerns
Senator Francis Adenigba Fadaunsi reinforced these concerns by highlighting the ongoing issue of unpaid obligations from the 2024 budget, noting that affected contractors continue to protest non-payment.
"I concur with my colleague from our state on the yet to be fully implemented 2024 budget because the affected unpaid contractors are still carrying placards around. This committee must reach out to the critical stakeholders for the required tidying up of 2024 and 2025 budgets before 1st April 2026," Senator Fadaunsi urged, calling for immediate engagement with relevant parties.
Calls for Caution and Confidential Deliberations
Amid the growing chorus of complaints, Senator Adams Oshiomhole advised his colleagues to exercise patience until comprehensive details of the N58.472 trillion 2026 budget become fully available for review. Following this intervention, Senator Adeola called for an executive session, requesting that journalists leave the chamber to allow for confidential deliberations on these sensitive financial matters.
The unfolding funding crisis raises fundamental questions about:
- The operational capacity of Senate committees to perform oversight functions
- The feasibility of implementing the single budget timeline
- The financial management of development commissions across geopolitical zones
- The broader implications for governance and public trust in legislative institutions
As the Senate grapples with these challenges, the coming weeks will prove critical in determining whether adequate funding can be secured to enable committees to function effectively and whether the ambitious budget implementation timeline can be salvaged before the April deadline.
