Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on Tuesday presented a ₦939.85 billion Appropriation Bill for the 2026 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.
Christened the “Budget of Hope and Growth,” the proposal was submitted during a plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku.
In his presentation, Governor Okpebholo commended the legislature for its cooperation, which he credited for the successful implementation of the 2025 budget. He cited strong performance in expenditure and a significant improvement in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) due to blocked financial leakages.
The governor outlined key achievements from his first year, which informed the new budget’s priorities across his administration’s SHINE Agenda—Security, Health, Infrastructure, Natural Resources/Agriculture, and Education.
Key Sectoral Highlights & Achievements:
· Security: Noting over 300 cult-related killings in 2024, Okpebholo stated his administration passed a stronger anti-cultism law, supplied 80 patrol vans and 400 motorcycles to security agencies, and recruited 2,500 officers into the Edo State Security Corps—measures he said have drastically reduced crime.
· Health: The administration is rebuilding the health system with new Primary Health Centres, provision of diagnostic equipment, and the ongoing construction of a 150-bed Specialist Hospital in Edo Central.
· Infrastructure: Twenty-eight new road projects totalling 255 kilometres have been awarded, including two first-ever flyovers in Benin City at Ramat Park and Sapele Road by Adesuwa Junction.
· Agriculture: With encouragement from President Bola Tinubu, the sector’s budget was increased from ₦6.9 billion to ₦57 billion. Over 400 hectares have been cultivated, with harvesting already commenced to combat food insecurity.
· Education: The government has recruited 5,000 permanent teachers, upgraded 63 schools, and significantly increased monthly subventions to state-owned universities.
· Job Creation & Economy: Over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs have been created, alongside a ₦1 billion interest-free loan scheme for traders. The administration has also begun reducing inherited debt.
Budget Breakdown & Funding:
The ₦939.85 billion budget is skewed towards capital projects, with ₦637 billion (68%) allocated for capital expenditure and ₦302 billion (32%) for recurrent expenditure.
Sectorally, the economic sector received the largest share of ₦614.2 billion, followed by administration (₦157.7 billion), social sector (₦148.9 billion), and justice (₦19 billion).
Governor Okpebholo stated the budget would be funded through a projected IGR of ₦160 billion, FAAC allocations (₦480 billion), capital receipts and grants (₦153 billion), and Public-Private Partnerships valued at ₦146 billion.
He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for federal reforms boosting state revenue and thanked the Assembly, traditional rulers, and citizens for their support before formally presenting the bill for consideration and approval.
The session was attended by the Deputy Governor, state executives, former deputy governors, traditional rulers, and civil society representatives.
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