Senate Approves N1.7 Trillion 2025 Budget to Power Abuja’s Mega Infrastructure Push

By Achimi Muktar

Abuja’s transformation just got a major financial boost. The Nigerian Senate has passed the whopping N1.7 trillion 2025 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Appropriation Bill for a second reading—an infrastructure-heavy budget that signals President Bola Tinubu’s and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s determination to reshape the capital city.

Unveiled by Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele during Wednesday’s plenary session, the bill promises a massive investment in roads, housing, and other critical infrastructure. To speed up its passage, Bamidele moved for the suspension of Senate Standing Rule 7(1), signaling the urgency behind the administration’s push to execute major developmental plans in the FCT.

Over 70% of the Budget to Capital Projects

Out of the total N1.7 trillion proposal:

N150 billion is allocated for personnel costs

N343 billion will cover overhead expenses

A jaw-dropping N1.2 trillion is set aside for capital projects

This means more than 70% of the budget will go into physical development—a bold move aimed at completing ongoing infrastructure projects and launching a few critical new ones.

Bamidele noted that the bill empowers the government to draw funds from the FCT’s statutory revenue for the purpose of improving roads, housing, and public services across the city and its surrounding areas.

What Lawmakers Are Saying

Senators were overwhelmingly supportive of the capital-heavy spending.

Senator Mohammed Monguno applauded the focus on completing existing projects, saying it would eliminate the legacy of wasteful, abandoned projects.

Senator Oyelola Ashiru described the 70:30 capital-to-recurrent ratio as “balanced” and well-aligned with Nigeria’s urgent infrastructure needs.

Senator Adetokunbo Abiru called the bill “development-focused,” but pushed for more transparency in how the capital portion will be financed.

Senator Victor Umeh praised Minister Nyesom Wike’s visible progress in the FCT, urging expansion of infrastructure into satellite communities to help reduce Abuja’s skyrocketing housing costs.

What Happens Next?

The Senate referred the bill to the Senate Committee on the FCT, with a mandate to report back within one week—signaling a fast-tracked approval process.

With the Tinubu administration under pressure to deliver on infrastructure, and Wike’s performance already stirring public attention, this budget could be the fuel behind Abuja’s most ambitious facelift in years.

But will this capital spending spree finally fix Abuja’s long-standing development gaps—or just become another pipeline for inflated contracts? All eyes are now on the implementation phase.