2026 budget prioritises security, vows no mercy for terrorists — Tinubu
By: Zagazola Makama
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday said national security remains the foundation of Nigeria’s development, declaring that his administration would show no mercy to terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and all armed non-state actors threatening the country’s stability.
Presenting the 2026 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly, Tinubu said the proposed budget, themed “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,”places security and peacebuilding at the centre of national renewal.
The president said the Federal Government would strengthen the modernisation of the Armed Forces, deepen intelligence-driven policing and joint operations, enhance border security through technology-enabled surveillance, and expand community-based peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
According to him, the government is resetting the national security architecture and establishing a new counter-terrorism doctrine anchored on unified command, intelligence coordination, community stability and counter-insurgency.
“Under this new architecture, any armed group or gun-wielding non-state actor operating outside state authority will be regarded as terrorists,” Tinubu said, adding that bandits, militias, armed gangs, violent cults, forest-based armed groups and foreign-linked mercenaries would all be targeted.
He said the 2026 budget made provision of N5.41 trillion for defence and security to boost the fighting capability of the Armed Forces and other security agencies through improved equipment, hardware and accountability for outcomes.
Tinubu noted that the budget was being presented at a defining moment in Nigeria’s reform journey, stressing that while recent economic reforms had been difficult, they were already yielding measurable results.
He said Nigeria’s economy grew by 3.98 per cent in the third quarter of 2025, inflation moderated for eight consecutive months to 14.45 per cent in November 2025, oil production improved, non-oil revenues expanded, and investor confidence returned.
The president said external reserves rose to about 47 billion dollars, a seven-year high, providing over 10 months of import cover.
Reviewing the 2025 budget performance, Tinubu said revenue stood at N18.6 trillion, representing 61 per cent of the target, while expenditure reached N24.66 trillion, about 60 per cent of the projection as of the third quarter.
He assured lawmakers that 2026 would be a year of stronger fiscal discipline, with strict adherence to budget details and timelines, supported by improved revenue mobilisation, digitisation of government collections and tighter oversight of government-owned enterprises.
Tinubu said the 2026 budget was guided by four objectives: consolidating macroeconomic stability, improving the business environment, promoting job-rich growth and reducing poverty, and strengthening human capital development while protecting the vulnerable.
He said the budget projected total revenue of N34.33 trillion and total expenditure of N58.18 trillion, including N15.52 trillion for debt servicing, with a deficit of N23.85 trillion, representing 4.28 per cent of GDP.
Other key sectoral allocations include N3.56 trillion for infrastructure, N3.52 trillion for education and N2.48 trillion for health.
The president said the budget was anchored on a conservative oil benchmark of 64.85 dollars per barrel, production of 1.84 million barrels per day and an exchange rate of N1,400 to the dollar.
He stressed that beyond announcements, the real test lay in delivery, pledging better revenue mobilisation, better spending focused on measurable projects, and stronger accountability through procurement and monitoring reforms.
Tinubu urged the National Assembly to partner with the Executive to deliver the Renewed Hope Agenda, saying the 2026 budget was not one of promises but of consolidation, renewed resilience and shared prosperity.
“I therefore lay before this distinguished joint session the 2026 Appropriation Bill of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
