Senate Justifies N170 Billion Increase in 2025 National Assembly Budget

The Nigerian Senate has defended its decision to allocate an additional N170 billion to the National Assembly in the 2025 budget, asserting that the legislative arm, as a critical tier of government, deserves a funding adjustment proportional to the nation’s fiscal expansion.

This justification comes as the federal budget increased to N54.9 trillion in 2025, a significant leap from the N27 trillion allocated in 2024. Speaking on Arise Television’s This Morning Show on Monday, Senate spokesperson Senator Yemi Adaramodu argued that stagnating the National Assembly’s budget while other government arms see increases would be illogical and unjustifiable.

Adaramodu emphasized the need for parity in budgetary growth across the executive, judiciary, and legislature. “When you consider the value of the National Assembly budget for 2023 and 2024, they were almost the same.”

“Now, with the 2024 budget at N27 trillion and 2025 rising to N54.9 trillion, are we saying the National Assembly’s budget should remain static while other tiers of government enjoy a lift?”

The senator’s remarks underscore the lawmakers’ position that the additional allocation reflects a fair share of the doubled national budget.

Breaking Down the N170 Billion Allocation

The N170 billion boost is discreetly tucked into the Service Wide Vote (SWV) under capital supplementation in the 2025 budget proposal, effectively raising the National Assembly’s funding by nearly 50%.

This increase supplements the legislature’s statutory transfer of N344.85 billion, bringing its total budget to N514 billion sparked debate.

While the statutory transfer remains unchanged on paper, the SWV allocation signals a substantial increase in legislative spending, an adjustment that critics argue lacks sufficient transparency.

Adaramodu dismissed accusations of budget padding, a recurring critique of the National Assembly. “If the ministries and sectors have a lift-up in their budgets, and the National Assembly, another tier of government, gets an additional N170 billion, I don’t think we can call that padding,” he asserted.

He further challenged critics to consider the allocation in context, asking, “What percentage of the National Assembly budget is the total budget of Nigeria?” This rhetorical question aims to frame the increase as a modest fraction of the N54.9 trillion fiscal plan.

Mixed Reactions from Experts and Citizens

The National Assembly’s constitutional responsibilities which include; lawmaking, budget scrutiny, and representation, require adequate resources to function optimally.

Experts argue that N514 billion is exorbitant for oversight of the executive and judiciary, particularly in a budget cycle marked by ambitious national development goals. This increase also adds to the problem of rising cost of governance in the nation.

Despite economic hardships plaguing millions of citizens, including rising inflation and unemployment, many question the timing and scale of the allocation. The national budget doubling is one thing, but efficiency and accountability in spending should be the priority.

Civil society voices have echoed this sentiment, calling for greater transparency in how the N170 billion will be utilized and whether it truly serves the public interest.

A Pattern of Budget Controversies

This is not the first time the National Assembly’s budget maneuvers have drawn scrutiny. In 2018, the Presidency criticized lawmakers for inflating the budget by N270 billion to fund constituency projects.

According to a statement from then-Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the executive had already earmarked N100 billion for such projects in the 2018 proposal. However, the National Assembly secured an additional N170 billion by leveraging an increased oil benchmark, a move the Presidency labeled as a distortion of the original budget.

The recurrence of such controversies fuels public distrust, with the 2025 allocation reigniting debates over fiscal responsibility.

Adaramodu, however, maintained that the National Assembly remains committed to prudent financial management. “We are focused on ensuring that funds allocated to us contribute to national development,” he assured, though he offered no detailed breakdown of how the N170 billion would be spent.

Balancing Governance Costs and Economic Realities

As Nigeria grapples with pressing economic challenges, the National Assembly’s budget hike amplifies broader concerns about the sustainability of governance costs.

While lawmakers argue that their funding must align with national budgetary trends, critics counter that such increases should be matched by tangible improvements in legislative output and accountability.

The SWV classification of the N170 billion, often seen as a discretionary spending category, only deepens calls for itemized disclosure.

Public discourse continues to swirl around the implications of this decision. For some, it’s a necessary investment in democracy; for others, it’s a misstep at a time when austerity and efficiency should take precedence.

As the 2025 budget undergoes further deliberation, the Senate’s defense of its enhanced allocation will likely remain a lightning rod in Nigeria’s ongoing struggle to balance governance with economic realities.

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