Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has presented a proposed ₦1.854 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly, marking his first appearance before the Assembly as led by Martin Amarehule since the political crisis that split the legislature in 2023.
The budget presentation signals a major turning point in the state’s political landscape, coming after the reconciliation of the governor and lawmakers following nearly three years of parallel legislative sittings and rival budget presentations.
Presenting the estimates tagged “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” Governor Fubara said the proposal was designed to sustain economic growth, strengthen infrastructure, improve human capital development and enhance social investments across the state.
The governor projected total revenue of ₦1.854 trillion for the 2026 fiscal year, representing a 24.49 per cent increase over the adjusted 2025 budget.
He attributed the expected growth to higher receipts from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), derivation funds and internally generated revenue.
Of the proposed budget, ₦413.1 billion is earmarked for recurrent expenditure, while ₦1.405 trillion is allocated to capital projects.
The capital allocation includes ₦533.3 billion for works and infrastructure, ₦315 billion for education, ₦105.4 billion for healthcare, ₦41.4 billion for the Rivers State House of Assembly, ₦30 billion for the judiciary and ₦19.3 billion for agriculture, among other sectors.
Governor Fubara also announced plans to increase overhead allocations to Ministries, Departments and Agencies by at least 50 per cent and clear outstanding gratuities and death benefits owed to retired civil servants.
He said his administration had maintained fiscal stability through prudent management of public funds, stressing that the government remained committed to accountability, transparency and responsible spending.
The governor urged lawmakers to approve the budget, describing it as a people-centred blueprint aimed at accelerating development, attracting investment, creating jobs and improving the living standards of residents across Rivers State.
