Some senators have raised serious concerns over what they described as inadequate funding for Senate standing committees, warning that the situation is already disrupting committee work and could undermine smooth implementation of the 2026 budget.
The concerns were raised on Friday, January 30, during a meeting between the Senate Committee on Appropriations, led by Olamilekan Adeola, and chairmen of various standing committees.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission, Anthony Ani, said his committee has been unable to function since inauguration due to the absence of any funding allocation from the Senate.
He noted that despite the budget timetable presented to committees, his committee has not held a single engagement with relevant agencies because there are no resources to support its work. Ani added that other committees overseeing zonal development commissions are facing similar challenges, raising questions about how effective oversight can be carried out without funding.
Echoing these concerns, Chairman of the Senate Committee on North Central Development Commission, Titus Zam, said the lack of funding is already eroding public confidence in the newly established commissions.
According to him, the excitement that greeted the creation of the zonal development commissions is gradually giving way to disappointment as committees struggle to operate without financial backing.
Attention also shifted to broader budget implementation issues, as the Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate, Oyewunmi Olalere, warned that Nigeria’s planned move to a single budget implementation cycle from April 1, 2026, is under threat.
Olalere said outstanding obligations from the 2024 budget, as well as unpaid portions of the 2025 capital component, could derail the plan. He noted that with only two months left to clear pending commitments from both budgets, urgent action is required to avoid a continuation of multiple budget cycles.
Supporting this position, Francis Fadaunsi said unpaid contractors from the 2024 budget are still protesting, underscoring the urgency of resolving lingering obligations. He called on the Appropriations Committee to engage critical stakeholders to tidy up the 2024 and 2025 budgets ahead of April 2026.
As discussions intensified, Adams Oshiomhole urged his colleagues to exercise patience until full details of the proposed ₦58.472 trillion 2026 budget are made available.
Following his intervention, Senator Adeola called for an executive session and requested members of the press to excuse themselves from the meeting.
For Northern Hibiscus, the developments highlight growing pressure within the Senate as lawmakers grapple with funding constraints, unfinished budgets, and an ambitious shift to a single budget cycle that now hangs in the balance.