Tinubu extends 2025 capital-budget implementation to December 2026

President Bola Tinubu has signed a bill extending implementation of the capital component of Nigeria’s 2025 budget to December 31, 2026, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday. The Appropriation (Amendment) (No. 4) Bill, 2025, moved the deadline from September 30, 2026.

Both chambers of the National Assembly passed the amendment on Tuesday, and Tinubu assented to it about 24 hours later. Onanuga said the extension would give ministries, departments and agencies more time to complete ongoing capital projects. He said it would allow funds already appropriated to be used without disrupting critical programmes and described the parliamentary action as evidence of cooperation between the executive and legislature.

The extension is the fourth time the implementation period for the capital component of the 2025 budget has been prolonged. The original deadline was December 31, 2025. It was later moved to March 31, 2026, then June 30 and September 30.

Repeated extensions have drawn criticism from lawmakers and economic analysts, according to the supplied report. Former finance minister Wale Edun pledged in October 2025 that the government would end the practice of carrying budget implementation beyond the fiscal year. Tinubu also promised in December 2025 to end overlapping budgets.

While presenting the 2026 budget, he said previous capital liabilities would be funded and closed by March 31, 2026, after which Nigeria would operate a single budget. The latest legislation means the 2025 capital budget will remain open until the end of 2026, beyond the timeline set out in that pledge. The material does not state the value of the projects affected or the amount of funding remaining to be spent.