Rivers State Executive Council Approves ₦1.8 Trillion “Budget of Resilience” for 2026 Fiscal Year

The Rivers State Executive Council has approved a proposed budget of ₦1.8 trillion for the 2026 fiscal year, marking one of the most ambitious financial plans in the state’s history. The approval was granted during a State Executive Council meeting held on Friday evening and represents the administration’s strategic framework for governance and development in the coming year.

Speaking after the meeting, the newly sworn-in Special Adviser to Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Economic Matters and Social Development, Professor Peter Medee, explained that the budget was carefully crafted to enable the state government to complete ongoing projects while also initiating new interventions in critical sectors. According to him, the 2026 budget proposal is aimed at consolidating previous efforts and addressing outstanding obligations that have accumulated across key areas of governance.

Professor Medee revealed that the proposed budget has been christened the “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” a name that reflects the administration’s priorities and the prevailing realities confronting the state. He noted that despite political, economic, and institutional challenges, the Rivers State Government remains focused on delivering measurable development outcomes for its citizens.

He explained that the core thrust of the 2026 budget proposal is to ensure the completion and advancement of projects in vital sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture, human capacity development, youth empowerment, culture, tourism, and information and communications technology (ICT). These sectors, he said, were deliberately prioritised because of their direct impact on economic growth, social stability, and long-term development.

According to Medee, the decision to approve a robust budget figure followed extensive deliberations within the Executive Council. He emphasised that the administration is determined to “recover lost ground” and reposition Rivers State for sustainable growth, even in the face of fiscal pressures and governance constraints.

“This budget is so christened because the priority of the Rivers State Government in 2026 is recovery, restoration, reassurance, consolidation, and inclusivity,” Medee said. “In spite of many challenges, the state government has remained resilient, dogged, and focused, and continues to achieve key targets in line with its commitment to the people of Rivers State.”

The emphasis on resilience, he added, reflects the government’s resolve to maintain momentum in governance despite political uncertainties and institutional frictions that have characterised the state’s political environment in recent times. The administration believes that a strong and well-structured budget is essential to sustaining public confidence and delivering tangible benefits to citizens.

Also speaking on the budget approval, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Honour Sirawoo, described the ₦1.8 trillion proposal as a product of conscious and strategic planning. He stated that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration is determined to close developmental gaps and reposition the state on a stronger footing.

“As you are aware, the Governor Siminalayi Fubara-led administration is determined to bridge lost ground,” Sirawoo said. “For that reason, a very robust budget figure has been arrived at after careful and deliberate consideration, with the aim of putting Rivers State where it needs to be.”

While the Executive Council’s approval has generated significant public discussion, government officials have clarified that the ₦1.8 trillion figure is a budget proposal, not an appropriation law. The next critical step in the process is the presentation of the proposal by the governor to the Rivers State House of Assembly as an Appropriation Bill. Only after legislative consideration, debate, and passage by the Assembly can the budget become law and legally authorise government spending for the 2026 fiscal year.

Observers note that the size and ambition of the proposed budget have heightened public interest, especially given the ongoing tensions between the executive and legislative arms of government in the state. Many stakeholders argue that beyond the headline figure, the real test of the 2026 budget will lie in transparency, legislative cooperation, and effective implementation.

As Rivers State moves toward the 2026 fiscal year, the proposed “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development” signals the Fubara administration’s intention to press ahead with governance and development priorities, while navigating the political and economic challenges that lie ahead.