The Rivers State Executive Council has approved a ₦1.8 trillion budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year, signaling the state government’s commitment to sustaining development amid prevailing economic and political challenges.
The approval was granted at the State Executive Council meeting held on Friday evening.
Speaking after the meeting, the newly sworn-in Special Adviser to Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Economic Matters and Social Development, Prof. Peter Medee, said the proposed budget was crafted to enable the state to complete ongoing projects and advance strategic investments across critical sectors.
According to him, the 2026 budget has been christened the “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development.”
Medee explained that the spending plan prioritises infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, human capacity development, youth empowerment, culture, tourism, and information and communications technology (ICT), while also making provisions for the clearance of outstanding obligations.
“The main thrust of the year 2026 proposed estimate has been fashioned to enable the state accomplish and conclude ongoing projects as well as clear our outstanding obligations in key critical sectors,” he said.
He added that the budget theme reflects the administration’s resolve to remain focused despite headwinds.
“It is against this backdrop that the State Executive Council has respectfully approved that the budget theme for 2026 be the Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” Medee stated.
“This is because the priority of the State Government for the year 2026 is recovery, restoration, reassurance, consolidation and inclusivity. In spite of many challenges, the State Government has remained resilient, dogged and focused, achieving key targets as part of our commitment to the people of Rivers State.”
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Honour Sirawoo, said the size of the budget reflected the determination of the Fubara administration to reclaim lost development ground.
“As you are aware, Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration is determined to bridge lost ground. For that reason, a very robust budget figure has been arrived at after conscious deliberation to put our state where it needs to be,” Sirawoo said.
The proposed 2026 budget is expected to be transmitted to the Rivers State House of Assembly for legislative consideration in the coming weeks.
Samuel Gbenga Salau ✔
Dr. Gbenga Salau Samuel Editorial Board Chairman, Naija247news Media Group LLC Dr. Gbenga Salau Samuel is an economist and journalist trained at the University of Ibadan, renowned for blending rigorous economic analysis with clear, people-centered journalism. As Editorial Board Chairman of Naija247news Media Group LLC, he leads the newsroom’s policy and standards framework, champions data-driven reporting, and steers impactful coverage across macroeconomics, markets, public finance, governance, and development. With a career rooted in evidence-based storytelling, Dr. Samuel is committed to elevating editorial integrity, nurturing young newsroom talent, and positioning Naija247news as a trusted, agenda-shaping voice in Nigeria’s media and policy space.
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