……Extends 2025 Implementation to June 30

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given assent to the 2026 Appropriation Bill, approving a record aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion for the fiscal year.

The President also signed legislation extending the implementation period of the 2025 budget specifically its capital component from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026.

According to details of the new budget, ₦4.799 trillion is allocated for statutory transfers, while debt service is pegged at ₦15.8 trillion. Recurrent expenditure stands at ₦15.4 trillion, with the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure receiving ₦32.2 trillion.

Capital spending thus accounts for approximately 50 percent of the total budget, reflecting the administration’s focus on infrastructure development, national security, economic stability, and inclusive growth.

A statement from the State House described the allocations as striking a strategic balance between mandatory obligations, debt servicing, day-to-day government operations, and productive capital investments aimed at boosting productivity and improving the quality of life for Nigerians.

President Tinubu also assented to the Appropriation (Repeal and Enactment) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which formally extends the 2025 capital projects window. Officials said the extension will allow Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to complete advanced-stage infrastructure and development projects, improve execution rates, and deliver better value for public funds.

The 2026 Appropriation Act takes effect from April 1, 2026, paving the way for full implementation in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The President has directed all MDAs to ensure disciplined, transparent, and efficient use of resources, with strict emphasis on value for money and timely project delivery.

President Tinubu commended the National Assembly for its swift consideration and passage of the budget, describing it as a demonstration of diligence, cooperation, and patriotism.

He reaffirmed the need for continued collaboration between the Executive and Legislative branches to advance national development goals.

The President further assured Nigerians of his administration’s commitment to deepening fiscal reforms, boosting revenue generation, stimulating economic growth, creating jobs, and strengthening social protection programmes.

The announcement was made by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, on April 17, 2026.

A technical glitch has disrupted the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, (UTME), at the Good Success Computer-Based Test centre in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The system failure, which occurred at the commencement of the examination, led to a shutdown of operations at the centre, leaving several candidates unable to sit for the test.

Officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, and members of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education were on ground to address the situation. However, their efforts did little to ease tensions, as affected candidates expressed frustration over the disruption.

Speaking to journalists, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education, Mohammed Mucktar Dantuse, alongside JAMB spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, assured that all affected candidates will be rescheduled to write the examination.

They also pledged to strengthen technical systems to prevent similar occurrences in other centres nationwide.

Authorities say the affected CBT centre will be delisted from future examinations, as efforts continue to ensure a smooth exercise across the country.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has graduated 744 individuals previously linked to terrorist groups after successfully completing its Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme.

The graduation followed the conclusion of a 24-week intensive course organised by the Defence Headquarters under Operation Safe Corridor at the Mallam Sidi Camp in Gombe State.

Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, stated that the programme is designed to encourage defections from terrorist groups by offering a “corridor of opportunities” through structured deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration efforts as part of the government’s strategy to end the long-running insurgency.

While at the camp, the participants underwent vocational training in skills such as carpentry, barbing, tailoring, welding, bakery operations, vulcanising, and various agricultural programmes.

These trainings aim to prepare them for productive lives after reintegration into society.

The graduates will also receive starter packs to support their self-sufficiency and smooth transition back into civilian life.

Operation Safe Corridor is a non-kinetic component of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency operations, primarily targeting low-risk defectors who voluntarily surrender.

Participants undergo rigorous screening, psycho-social support, and skills acquisition to reduce the risk of recidivism and weaken terrorist organisations from within.

This latest batch adds to thousands of individuals who have passed through similar rehabilitation initiatives in recent years, according to updates from the Defence Headquarters.

The Federal Government has maintained that the programme is not an amnesty but a targeted intervention that complements ongoing military operations in the North-East and other affected areas.