The Senate has passed the ₦1.485 trillion 2025 budget for Rivers State following the third reading of the appropriation bill on Wednesday. The bill authorizes the release of ₦1,485,662,592,442 from the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
The passage followed the consideration of the report from the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State during the Committee of Supply session.
The budget breakdown includes ₦120.8 billion for debt servicing, ₦287.38 billion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and ₦1.077 trillion for capital projects.
While backing the budget’s passage, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) raised concerns over the additional ₦50 billion allocated for outstanding pensions and gratuities. He called for strict oversight to ensure the funds are disbursed to rightful pensioners without delay.
The budget will now proceed for assent and implementation.
The development follows the submission of the budget by President Bola Tinubu in May, after the suspension of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu proposed the ₦1.481 trillion budget, with key allocations targeted at revitalizing critical sectors. The president also sought concurrent approval from the House of Representatives, reminding lawmakers that the Supreme Court had earlier nullified the 2025 budget presented by the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Rivers State has been under political turmoil following a prolonged power struggle between Governor Fubara and lawmakers loyal to Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. In response, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state on March 18, 2025, and appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) as interim administrator for an initial six-month period.
