Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi, on Tuesday, signed the 2026 Appropriation Bill of N642.9 billion into law, following its passage by the Kebbi House of Assembly.

The governor assented to the budget at Government House, Birnin Kebbi, after receiving the document from the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Usman Muhammad-Zuru.

Mr Idris expressed appreciation to the speaker, principal officers and members of the assembly for the speedy passage of the 2026 budget.

He commended the legislators for their commitment to the welfare of the people and their responsiveness to legislative responsibilities.

“I am the happiest person, this government truly belongs to the people of the state. Whatever we do is done in the best interest of the people.

“We are working harmoniously with the state house of assembly to move the state forward and take it to greater heights, in line with people-oriented governance.

“We will also work closely with the assembly to boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), given the fact that federal allocations alone are insufficient to meet the needs of our people.

“People should understand that the budget is not physical money at hand; rather, it is a projection of expected revenue, either from IGR or federal allocations,” he said.

The governor also described the assembly as a true representative of the people, noting that it had diligently considered and ratified several bills forwarded by the executive arm.

Earlier, Mr Muhammad-Zuru described the signing of the budget as a significant milestone in the democratic journey of the state.

He said the budget was the outcome of extensive consultations, deliberations and rigorous scrutiny by members of the assembly.

“You have so far assented to about 60 bills passed by the house, many of which have direct bearing on the lives of the people of the state,” he said.

Mr Muhammad-Zuru reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to sustained collaboration with the executive arm to accelerate the development of the state for the benefit of its people.

He said the recurrent expenditure stood at N163.57 billion, representing 25 per cent of the total budget, while capital expenditure was N479.36 billion, accounting for 75 per cent.

The speaker reaffirmed the total 2026 budget size of N642.9 billion as presented by the governor and duly passed by the house of assembly. 

(NAN)