By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
Kogi State Governor, Usman Ahmed Ododo, has presented a draft budget of ₦820,490,585,443 to the State House of Assembly for consideration ahead of the 2026 fiscal year.
The proposed budget, tagged “Budget of Shared Prosperity: Driving Sustainable Growth for All,” represents an increase of ₦216,961,592,725, translating to a 25.7 percent rise over the revised 2025 budget.
Governor Ododo explained that the 2026 fiscal plan is structured to strengthen the state’s finances through enhanced revenue generation and prudent expenditure control while prioritising capital investments.
According to him, the budget will be funded through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), statutory allocations, withheld escrow from the 13 percent derivation fund, Value Added Tax (VAT), exchange gains, excess non-oil revenue, among other sources.
He disclosed that the state is projecting a recurrent revenue of ₦470,008,482,693 and a recurrent expenditure of ₦367,448,083,683 for the 2026 financial year.
Ododo noted that the increase in both recurrent and capital spending underscores his administration’s commitment to improving infrastructure and strengthening service delivery across key sectors.
He said the draft budget seeks to boost revenue mobilisation, enforce stricter expenditure controls, deepen investments in growth-driven sectors, and aggressively service federal government debts owed by the state.
The governor added that the proposals also aim to block revenue leakages, enhance the investment climate, and prioritise ongoing projects while rolling out new initiatives aligned with the state’s 32-year development plan.
Ododo further explained that certain policy thrusts were integrated into the 2026 budget to stimulate economic growth, create jobs, improve living standards, and cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on citizens.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Umar Yusuf Aliyu, assured that lawmakers would carry out diligent scrutiny of the proposed budget in line with their constitutional responsibilities.
He emphasised that the Assembly remains committed to transparency, accountability, and integrity, pledging that the final budget will reflect the aspirations and welfare of the people of Kogi State.