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Nigeria’s 2025 Budget Raised to N54.2 Trillion Due to Increased Revenues
President Bola Tinubu has announced an increase in Nigeria’s proposed 2025 annual budget, raising it from N49.7 trillion to N54.2 trillion. The adjustment was made through official letters sent to both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
During a Senate plenary session, Senator Godswill Akpabio read the letter, explaining that the increased budget was due to additional revenues generated by key government agencies.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) contributed an extra N1.4 trillion, while the Nigeria Customs Service brought in an additional N1.2 trillion. Furthermore, other government-owned agencies added another N1.8 trillion to the national coffers.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, responding to the president’s request, directed the Senate Committee on Appropriations to expedite the budget review process.
He assured that the consideration and passage of the budget would be completed before the month ends, ensuring timely action on this crucial fiscal matter.
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“You Can Still Have Subsidy Without Long Queues” — Rufai Oseni Speaks On Subsidy
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
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Sanwo-Olu Speaks on Lagos’ Power Challenges and the Need for Change
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
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Sanwo-Olu Declares August 20 Public Holiday in Lagos for Isese Festival
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
