The House of Representatives has approved a three-month extension of the implementation period for the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act, shifting the deadline from June 30 to September 30, 2026.
The approval followed the consideration and passage of the Appropriation (Repeal and Enactment) Act, 2025 (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2026, during an emergency plenary session held on Monday in Abuja.
Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, the House Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, said the extension became necessary to allow Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) sufficient time to complete ongoing projects and fully utilise funds already released for capital expenditure.
According to him, a significant portion of funds disbursed to government agencies remains unspent due to procurement delays, administrative bottlenecks, and other implementation challenges that have slowed project execution across the country.
He explained that extending the lifespan of the capital budget would help prevent the abandonment of critical infrastructure projects, facilitate the completion of ongoing works, and enable the settlement of outstanding contractual obligations.
The emergency sitting was convened following a notice issued by the Acting Clerk of the House, Ibrahim Sidi, who informed lawmakers that the session would commence at 11:00 a.m. in line with the provisions of the House Standing Orders.
The proposed amendment seeks to provide MDAs with an additional three months to implement projects captured under the 2025 fiscal framework, amid concerns over delays that have affected budget performance.
Lawmakers said the extension is expected to improve the execution rate of capital projects and ensure that key development and infrastructure programmes funded under the 2025 budget are completed before the new deadline.
The move also reflects the National Assembly’s efforts to enhance budget implementation and avoid the abandonment of projects considered critical to economic growth and public service delivery.
The bill will now proceed to the Senate for concurrence before being transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent. If signed into law, MDAs will be permitted to continue implementing capital projects under the 2025 budget until September 30, 2026.
