Fubara to present N1.84tn 2026 budget to Rivers Assembly

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is billed to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill before the State House of Assembly on Friday, in what would mark a significant step toward ending months of fiscal uncertainty in the state.

The presentation follows the Assembly’s approval, two weeks ago, of the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, the fiscal document that sets out government revenue projections and expenditure plans over the three-year period and serves as the foundation for the annual budget.

According to the framework, the state is projecting a budget size of N1.84 trillion for 2026, with recurrent expenditure pegged at over N400 billion and capital projects gulping more than N1.4 trillion, a split that underscores the administration’s stated infrastructure-driven priorities.

Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, while reading the MTEF document on the floor, commended the executive for producing what he described as a working fiscal blueprint for the state over the next three years.

He, however, flagged concerns over the framework’s revenue assumptions, arguing that the projections understate current realities, particularly given prevailing crude oil prices in the international market.

The anticipated presentation of the 2026 budget has attracted significant public attention after taking longer than expected to reach the Assembly.

The delay has fuelled widespread speculation, with political observers linking it to the prolonged disagreement between the executive and legislative arms of government in the state.

Once presented, the appropriation bill will undergo legislative scrutiny before it can be passed into law and implemented.