FG Plans 2025 Budget Shake-Up

The Federal Government has revealed plans to overhaul its budgeting process for 2025, prioritizing essential projects and agencies based on a comprehensive needs assessment. This move aims to allocate funds more effectively by ensuring that agency budgets reflect actual requirements.

Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, announced this initiative during a press briefing after a one-day fact-finding tour of government agencies under the State House.

He emphasized the need for prioritization due to limited resources, questioning the current funding and performance of various agencies in light of their mandates and relevance to the administration’s vision and the Renewed Hope Agenda. Gbajabiamila suggested the possibility of merging or eliminating underperforming agencies to optimize resources.

“In any country in the world, resources are limited. For us, it is about prioritizing. Where are we so far? What have the agencies done? How have they measured up to their mandates, and how important are their mandates in terms of the vision of this administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda? A lot of agencies are not properly funded. Do we merge some of these agencies, do we scrap some? I’m not talking about the State House agencies. In 2025, we are not going to budget in a vacuum. We will budget based on needs assessment,” he stated.

During interactions with agency heads and staff, Gbajabiamila assured them that the Presidency is committed to improving welfare and working conditions within agencies under the State House’s supervision. He urged staff to embrace innovation, excellence, and professionalism while supporting their leaders. He also highlighted the importance of transparency in the procurement process, critical to the administration’s commitment to good governance and accountability.

Gbajabiamila’s tour included visits to key agencies such as the Nigeria Agriculture and Land Development Agency (NALDA), Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI). He underscored the role of these agencies in advancing the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the economic and development sectors and reiterated the administration’s resolve to strengthen these institutions.

The Chief of Staff also assured agencies that issues like staff remuneration and inadequate office accommodation would be addressed to create a more conducive work environment. At NALDA, Gbajabiamila reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to diversifying the economy through agriculture, emphasizing the sector’s crucial role in achieving food security.

“This government is particular about diversifying our economy, and the role the agriculture sector has to play is very important. This government is focusing very seriously on agriculture and food security, and we trust that NALDA will continue to be innovative in its operations, including developing greenhouses and supporting the cultivation of more arable land across the country,” he added.

At the Bureau of Public Procurement, Gbajabiamila commended the agency for saving the government N1.7 trillion from 2009-2022 by blocking potential procurement loopholes. He disclosed that the federal government is reviewing the BPP Act to align it with international best practices, reduce corruption, and streamline bureaucratic processes. He also pledged to address staff remuneration, which has not been reviewed in years, drawing comparisons with the Debt Management Office, which has undergone multiple salary structure reviews.

“The Act establishing the Bureau is going through a review process that will make it meet international best practices, reduce corruption, red tape, and bureaucracy. We will also look at the staff remuneration and why there has not been a review over the years, especially when compared with sister agencies like the Debt Management Office, whose remuneration and salary structure have been reviewed a couple of times over the years,” Gbajabiamila said.

Regarding the National Council on Procurement (NCP), an establishment of the law that has never been inaugurated since the Bureau’s creation, Gbajabiamila hinted that President Tinubu intends to inaugurate the Council, conscious of the need for the proposed amendments to the BPP Act.

Addressing the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Gbajabiamila praised the agency for remitting over N1 trillion to the federal government since 1999 but emphasized the need for further improvement. He assured BPE’s Director-General, Ayodeji Gbeleyi, of the government’s readiness to work with the agency to help it achieve its mandate optimally. Gbeleyi disclosed that the agency had received N93.4 billion from privatization projects in the first and second quarters of 2024, though this fell short of the revised expected revenue of N259.7 billion.

At NAEC, Gbajabiamila reiterated the government’s commitment to developing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including electricity generation. Responding to a presentation by NAEC Chairman Prof. Yusuf Ahmed, he acknowledged the importance of incorporating nuclear technology into Nigeria’s energy mix to meet the nation’s growing energy needs.

At NASENI, Gbajabiamila praised the agency for championing local content development, especially in electric vehicles, motorbikes, and solar-powered smart irrigation systems through accelerated technology transfer. He expressed President Bola Tinubu’s confidence in Nigeria’s human resources and their ability to lead technological advancement.

“I’m very impressed with what we have seen and what we have heard,” Gbajabiamila said after touring NASENI’s facilities. “The fact that you have 35 market-ready products and have completed 44 tangible projects and initiatives in 10 months speak volumes to your commitment, dedication, and passion for what you are doing. I commend you and the rest of the team on what you are doing. We live in a world of modern-day technology, and Nigeria must not be left behind. We need agencies like NASENI to propagate the President’s vision on advancement in technology,” he told NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu.

The Chief of Staff emphasized that creating an enabling work environment is crucial for boosting staff morale and productivity. Noting NASENI’s location at the Idu industrial layout in Abuja, approximately 30 kilometers from the city center, he urged the management to provide adequate support to ease transportation costs for employees.