The Senate has passed the 2025 budget of Rivers State, approving a total expenditure of ₦1.485 trillion.
The budget’s passage followed the presentation and consideration of the report of the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State during the Committee of Supply session.
According to the bill, the sum of ₦1,485,662,592,442 is to be drawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
A breakdown of the approved figures shows ₦120.8 billion allocated for debt servicing, ₦287.38 billion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and a substantial ₦1.077 trillion earmarked for capital projects across the state.
Debate on the bill saw some concerns raised, particularly from Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), who expressed reservations over the additional ₦50 billion allocated for the payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities.
“I urge the committee to intensify its oversight function to ensure that these funds are disbursed promptly to the genuine pensioners,” Senator Ningi said during deliberations.
The 2025 Rivers State budget was forwarded to the National Assembly in May by President Bola Tinubu for legislative consideration. This unusual step followed the lingering political crisis in Rivers State, which led to the suspension of the state’s House of Assembly and the executive under Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
