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FEC Okays N8.6trn 2018 Budget …Awaits NASS For Presentation

Published

9 years ago

October 27, 2017

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the draft 2018 National Budget proposal.
The FEC is to liaise with the National Assembly on a date President Muhammadu Buhari will present the document to the lawmakers.
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, announced this to State House Correspondents at the post-FEC briefing.
Udoma who briefed newsmen alongside Ministers of Information, Lai Mohammed, Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and Finance, Kemi Adeosun, however, declined to give details, insisting that only the President who is constitutionally backed has the prerogative to make them available to the public.
However, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) document indicates that the 2018 Budget will have an aggregate expenditure profile of about N8.6 trillion, including grants and donor funding of N199.91 billion.
This provision exceeds 2017 Budget aggregate expenditure estimate of N7.44 trillion by 15.5 percent (N1.16 trillion)
The aggregate revenue to fund the 2018 budget is expected to be around N5.65 trillion, 11 percent or N562.50 billion over the 2017 estimate of N5.08 trillion.
About 43.2 percent of this revenue is projected to come from oil sources while the balance is to be earned from non-oil sources.
These figures are subject to confirmation by President Buhari when he presents the fiscal proposals to the National Assembly.
Details of the MTEF showed that aggregate revenue to fund the 2018 budget is projected at N5.65 trillion (11.0 percent or N562.50 billion over the 2017 estimate of N5.08 trillion).
Also, 43.2 percent of this is projected to come from oil sources while the balance is to be earned from non-oil sources.
Aggregate expenditure is estimated at N8.60 trillion (this include grants and donor funding of N199.91 billion naira).
“This provision exceeds 2017 aggregate expenditure estimate of N7.44 trillion by 15.5 percent (or about N1.16 trillion).
Asked to give key details of the 2018 proposals especially the foreign exchange, oil price production benchmarks, etc, Udoma said, “It is the President’s prerogative to submit the budget, submit the proposals and give the details. I will be operating above my brief if I do that, the constitution gives that authority to the president.”
He said the federal government kept its promise to get the budget ready by October.
“We did promise that the budget will be ready in October and it is ready in October.
“We are liaising with the National Assembly because they have to approve the date for the President to come and address them to submit the budget,” he said.
The Minister said with today’s approval of the draft copy of the 2018 budget proposal, the government was indeed on the path to return the country back to a predictable January to December fiscal year.
“Before now, we used to submit budget proposal in December but now the budget is ready in October so there is a very big difference.
Fashola on his part said Council approved the construction of 14 kilometer 330KVA transmission line by Transmission Company of Nigeria, to get them ready to evacuate Azura power plant in Edo State when it is ready in May 2018.
The contract is at the sum of N796.6 million to be completed in seven months, just about when Azura should be ready.
The Finance Minister, Adeosun said Council approved the memo for the establishment of Road Trust Fund structure. She said the memo was presented with the Input of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing.
She said it is the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative that will allow the private sector to get involved in road construction in exchange for tax credit.
“What is unique about the scheme is that it is building on an existing scheme that avails tax credit but is one company per road and we have found that only two companies have been able to take advantage of it. The tax will be recovered over a three year period. We expect this to mobilise significant capital into road provision across the country. The ministry of works will be approving the design and the cost of those roads. The BPP will also provide certificates of no objection to make sure that the cost are reasonable, ministry of works will supervise.
“What we expect is significant road delivery especially in areas for example industrial clusters affected by very bad roads. They can get together, do the road and recover their money through the tax credit system.
“We expect the impact on revenues to be neutral because we are tightening our tax code but we still put in a limit that no company can apply and use more than 50 per cent of the tax within a year for this scheme.
“A company doesn’t have to be active in that area, so a bank, oil company, service company could get involved. We are really trying to widen the pool of funds for road construction.”
Adeosun said so far total amount that has been released on capital project for 2017 is N450 billion.

Featured

RSG Floats MNET Culture Content Promo

Published

6 days ago

November 6, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.

He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.

He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.

“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.

Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.

The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.

On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.

Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.

With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.

He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.

Kevin Nengia

Featured

APC Presidential Campaign Storms PH, ‘Morrow

Published

6 days ago

November 6, 2026

The Tide

Barring last minute changes, the presidential campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will storm Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, tomorrow.

This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.

The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.

The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.

President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.

The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.

The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.

The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.

Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.

Featured

2027: Be Politically Neutral, Fubara Tasks Traditional Rulers

Published

2 weeks ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged traditional rulers in the State to maintain neutrality, ensure fairness and uphold peace in their domains as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Fubara gave the charge on Wednesday while declaring open the 126th, 127th and 128th Combined Quarterly Meeting of the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, in Port Harcourt.

The governor said the primary function of traditional rulers is to administer justice and ensure fairness, saying their conduct must not lead to division and unmanageable crises.

“Let me therefore, request, if that is the right word to use, that please, as we are entering into this political season actively, everyone should ensure that your conduct promoted peace in your place. Your actions should not be what would lead to the division and multiple crisis that we cannot manage as a government.

“I think with that, we can all live as one and we can also continue to make this progress that we are trying with all our mind, our body and our soul, to ensure that we deliver to our dear State,” he said.

Fubara urged the royal fathers to abide by the oath and constitution they swore to before ascending their respective stools, in the interest of stability and progress of the State.

He also enjoined them to set aside individual sentiments and place the interest of Rivers State above personal considerations, noting that this principle has guided his own day-to-day governance of the State.

“I want to enjoin everyone to keep aside issues of individual sentiments and ensure that the interest of our state supersedes whatever thing that we have in our mind. This is not just what I’m saying here, it is what I’ve also practiced and displayed in my day-to-day life in the governance of our dear State,” he said.

On the appeal for improved welfare for traditional rulers, the governor clarified that the delay in actualising some of the requests they made in the past was not from the government but from the inability of the Council to put its house in order.

Fubara explained that the issue of stipends paid to the traditional rulers by the local government councils, was a statutory benefit provided for in the constitution and not what a state governor can change by mere verbal pronouncements.

He assured that he remains a man of his word and will fulfill his promises to the traditional rulers before leaving office, next year.

He reaffirmed his respect for the traditional institution as custodians of culture and the closest link to the people, thanking them for their prayers and support.

The governor urged the royal fathers to ensure that the combined quarterly meeting featured fruitful deliberations that will strengthen peace and development in the State.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Eze Chike Amadi Worlu Wodo, expressed profound gratitude to the State Government for its efforts in maintaining a cordial relationship with the traditional institution.

Wodo highlighted the importance of traditional rulers in conflict resolution, noting that their closeness to the people places them in a strategic position to mediate in disputes involving chieftaincy matters, family disputes and land ownership in their respective communities.

The royal father drew the attention of the State Government to some challenges affecting the performance of the traditional institution, particularly the lack of official utility vehicles and logistical support needed to discharge its responsibilities effectively.

He also appealed for improved monthly stipends and better welfare provisions to reflect prevailing economic realities.