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2018 Budget: Financial Experts Want Change In Disbursement, Implementation
Some financial experts have said the Federal Government must change its approach towards the implementation and disbursement of the annual budget for it to impact positively on Nigerians.
The experts stated this in interviews with newsmen in Lagos, yesterday while reacting to the passage of the 2018 budget by the National Assembly, six months after it was presented by executive.
Mr Emeka Madubuike, immediate past President, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), who bemoaned the late passage of the budget, said implementation and disbursement were critical at the moment.
“It is not passing the budget that is the issue, the key thing is implementation. We have seen several budgets in this country but what is the impact?” Madubuike asked.
He said the country still had serious infrastructure gap, noting that proper implementation would help in reducing the infrastructure deficit for people to have hope in the country.
Madubuike called for synergy between the executive and legislature, noting that both arms were serving Nigerians.
“This distinction between the Senate and the executive is just an excuse and must be addressed in the interest of the country,” he said.
Prof. Uche Uwaleke, Head of Banking and Finance Department, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, said the passage of the budget would increase the tempo of economic activities and speed up recovery efforts.
Uwaleke said the increased allocation for capital projects would lift the stock of infrastructure if well implemented and spur growth.
He said the passage of the budget would reduce uncertainties in the business environment and boost investors’ confidence.
Uwaleke also expressed optimism that the capital market would react positively to the passage of the budget.
The Chief Operating Officer, InvestData Ltd., Mr Ambrose Omordion, said the approval of the budget was good for the economy to boost activities and support economic recovery and development.
Omordion said the timing and upward adjustment of the budget figures were wrong considering that the budget stayed over six months before it was approved.
He called for proper monitoring of the budget to ensure effective implementation, noting that N1.5 trillion spent on infrastructure in the 2017 budget had not reflected on the economy.
Omordion said roads and power with direct bearing on the economy had remained in the worst state in spite of huge borrowing amidst rising oil prices.
According to him, the N9 trillion budget is part of preparation for 2019 elections for the executive and legislatures to do one project or the other for the people ahead of the elections.
“For the budget to make meaningful impact on the life of Nigerians and the economy, government must change its disbursement and implementation style so that project execution will be fast,” Omordion said.
He explained that the adjustment of oil benchmark price to 51 dollars per barrel against the initial 45 dollars per barrel was good considering the rallying in oil price.
Omordion said it was a good way of reducing borrowing to finance deficit budget and also to accommodate the N543 billion increment to execute their own constituency projects.
The Senate and the House of Representatives on May 16, passed the 2018 budget, raising it by N500 billion.
Both houses approved a budget that rose from N8.6 trillion to N9.1 trillion, six months after it was presented by the executive.
President Muhammadu Buhari presented the budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on Nov. 7, 2017.
Both houses of the National Assembly received the budget report of their appropriation committees.
At the Senate, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Mr Danjuma Goje, said the increase of N500 billion was done in consultation with the executive.
He said the increment was informed by a decision to increase oil benchmark from the proposed 45 dollars to 51 dollars.
The exchange rate of N305 to a dollar and production of 2.3 million barrels of oil per day were adopted as proposed by the executive.
Goje said the funds that would accrue from the increment would be spent on some projects already earmarked by the committee.
He said the surplus fund was spread on some ‘critical sectors’ in consultation with the executive. He gave a breakdown of how much would be spent on different sectors.
According to the report, N42.72 billion will be spent on security, N57. 15 billion on the 1 per cent vote for health as mandated by the National Health Act and N106.50 billion for the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.
Other areas are; education, N15.7 billion, Judiciary, N10 billion and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), N44.20 billion.
He added that the increment would allow for a N50.88 billion deficit reduction.
In the final breakdown, the Senate passed a 2018 budget of N9, 120, 334, 988, 225 of which N530, 421, 368, 624 is for statutory transfers as against N456, 458, 654, 074 proposed by the executive.
N2, 203, 835, 365, 699 was budgeted for debt service as proposed while N190, 000, 000, 000 was budgeted for sinking fund for maturing loans.
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Fresh explosions have hit oil and gas pipelines in Odau Community, in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, triggering a major security and environmental crisis that has forced residents to abandon their homes.
The first incident occurred along the Kolo Creek – Rumuekpe crude oil pipelines, operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
This was followed by a gas pipeline explosion on the Ogboinbiri – Obirikom Gas Pipeline, operated by Oando Plc, in the same week.
In a statement by the Abua/Odual Council Chairman, Hon. Owolobi Michael Ofori said the blasts, suspected to be the handiwork of militants, have unleashed persistent gas leakage in the area, raising fears of fire outbreaks and toxic exposure as residents of Odau have largely deserted the community due to the dangerous situation.
According to him, some residents of the area have been hospitalised after inhaling the leaking gas, adding that the impact has spread to neighbouring communities, including Obedum, Emirikpoko, and Anyu in Abua/Odual LGA, as well as Oruma and Ibelebiri in Bayelsa State.
Hon. Ofori expressed deep concern over the plight of the affected residents and urged the operating companies to act swiftly.
The Council expressed its deepest sympathy to all affected persons and communities and remained gravely concerned about the safety, health, and welfare of residents whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by these incidents.
“We call on Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and Oando Plc to immediately deploy all necessary technical and emergency response resources to contain the fires, halt the gas leakage, secure the affected pipeline corridors, and mitigate further environmental and public health risks.” the Council Chairman Said.
The chairman also appealed to the two oil firms to provide immediate humanitarian assistance and relief materials to the displaced residents while work continues to restore normalcy.
The Council Chairman said he is working closely with security agencies and emergency responders to monitor the situation and coordinate necessary interventions.
The Council Boss advised Residents of the Local Government Area to remain calm, cooperate with authorities, and adhere strictly to safety directives.
Ofori further called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Rivers State Government, and other relevant bodies to intervene urgently to prevent loss of lives and environmental damage.
Hon. Ofori assured that the council remains committed to the protection and welfare of its people and will continue to engage all stakeholders to resolve the crisis.
Enoch Epelle
Fidelity Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment, financial inclusion and entrepreneurship through a strategic partnership with the Youth Economic Intervention and De-radicalization Programme (YEIDEP), a Federal Government-backed initiative aimed at equipping young Nigerians with the skills, support and opportunities needed to build sustainable livelihoods.
Under the partnership, the bank will support the enrolment of students and young people into the YEIDEP programme, which is designed to tackle youth unemployment, promote enterprise development and expand economic participation among Nigeria’s growing youth population.
The next phase of the initiative is scheduled to end today at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, where the enrolment exercise for students and youths across the South-East that started since July 1st would be concluded at the university’s Convocation Arena.
The exercise is expected to reach more than 60,000 regular undergraduate students.
Speaking on the partnership, Fidelity Bank’s Divisional Head, Product Development, Osita Ede, said youth empowerment remains central to the bank’s vision of building a more inclusive and prosperous society.
He noted that Nigeria’s youths represent the country’s greatest asset and stressed that providing them with the right skills, opportunities and financial support is critical to unlocking their potential and driving national development.
According to Ede, the bank continues to provide young Nigerians with tools for success through its digital banking platforms, financial literacy initiatives, youth-focused products and strategic partnerships.
He added that Fidelity Bank recognises that limited access to funding, mentorship and business development support remains a major challenge for many aspiring entrepreneurs, and is committed to creating pathways that will help them overcome these barriers.
The bank said its support for YEIDEP aligns with its longstanding commitment to empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which it described as key drivers of economic growth and job creation in Nigeria.
Interested students and youths have been encouraged to open Fidelity Bank accounts and register for the programme through the bank’s dedicated online portal.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has launched a multi-agency task force to combat the resurgence of traffic gridlock choking the Lagos Port access roads, in a fresh push to restore seamless cargo evacuation and sustain recent gains in Port efficiency.
The intervention followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Managing Director of NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, on June 23rd, 2026, where security agencies, freight forwarders, truck operators and representatives of the Lagos State Government agreed on coordinated measures to eliminate the bottlenecks disrupting cargo movement.
At the meeting, stakeholders identified illegal extortion points, overlapping responsibilities among security agencies and other operational distortions as major factors responsible for the renewed congestion along the port corridor.
Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the NPA’s General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemakara, said the Authority’s overriding priority is to guarantee the unhindered movement of cargo to and from the nation’s seaports.
According to him, the task force comprises the NPA, the Police, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO).
“The responsibility of the task force is to monitor truck movement on the Port access roads on a regular basis, identify any disruption capable of causing gridlock and immediately resolve such challenges,” Onyemakara said.
He stressed that members of the task force would not establish checkpoints along the corridor but would maintain strategic presence at designated locations to ensure compliance without obstructing traffic.
To enhance rapid response, Onyemakara disclosed that the task force has created a dedicated WhatsApp platform through which members can instantly report infractions or emerging traffic issues for immediate intervention.
On the long-delayed renewal of the Electronic Truck Call-Up (ETO) system contract, the NPA spokesman said the Authority is reviewing the terms to ensure a more robust contractual framework before awarding a fresh agreement.
He explained that although the previous contract had expired, the ETO platform remains operational under the management of the Truck Transit Parks (TTP) pending completion of the procurement process.
He expressed confidence that the renewal would be concluded soon.
Reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to maintaining free-flowing Port access roads, Onyemakara said efficient logistics remain central to the NPA’s drive to improve Nigeria’s Port competitiveness and preserve its growing international reputation.
“We are more interested in the free flow of logistics into our ports than anyone else because it is in our own interest,” he said
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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