By Muhammad Mamman
President Bola Tinubu has admitted that Nigeria’s 2025 budget is facing significant strain, citing weak revenue performance and the heavy pressures of national transition and competing spending priorities.
The President made the disclosure while reviewing the country’s fiscal position, noting that revenue generation has fallen well short of projections.
“Our 2025 budget faces the reality of transition and competing execution demands. As of the third quarter, N18.6 trillion in revenue, representing 61% of our target, is poor,” President Tinubu said.
The remark underscores rising concerns within economic circles about Nigeria’s ability to meet its ambitious spending plans, particularly as government ministries and agencies push for increased allocations to address infrastructure gaps, social programmes, and stabilisation schemes crucial to economic recovery.
Financial analysts say the revenue shortfall could prompt the government to toughen its revenue collection efforts, reassess priority projects, and potentially widen borrowing to keep critical programmes afloat.
Despite the challenges, the President reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthening fiscal discipline, deepening reforms, and boosting productivity across key sectors to close the gap before year-end.
Further details on planned interventions are expected as the budget process moves into its final stages.
