Ben Eguzozie
Governor Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto State has adjusted the state’s 2025 budget of N526.88 billion to accommodate what he described as “evolving dynamics and new realities on ground”.
The adjustment which comes nine months into the end of 2025 fiscal year, saw the
reallocation of N38.81 billion underutilised areas to critical sectors, aimed at improving
implementation and addressing emerging priorities in various sectors.
Abubakar Zayanna, the commissioner for budget and economic development, explained that the adjustment became necessary to guarantee a more “realistic and intentional
budgeting system” that aligns with public financial management provisions.
Zayanna said the approval of the amendment did not alter the N526.88 billion budget size earlier passed for 2025. “We reviewed non-discretionary capital receipts that were unlikely to materialise, removed their corresponding expenditure lines, and increased allocations in areas where revenues over-performed. This will help us achieve 70–80 percent budget performance by year-end,” he said.
He said the adjustment will ensure that every fund in the budget worked for the state within the next few months, avoiding unspent funds tied to dormant projects whereas urgent priorities suffered.
The amended budget proposal will now be transmitted to the State House of Assembly for legislative approval.
Commissioner Zayanna said Sokoto would likely achieve 70-80 percent budget performance by the end of the 2025 fiscal year. He also assured that Governor Aliyu
stands out for fiscal discipline by his administration, with a seamless execution of numerous developmental projects without resorting to loans, as well as maintaining a
debt-free status with contractors.
Sokoto, with a subnational GDP of $7.06 billion as of 2021, has a high debt-to-GDP ratio.
The state’s debt increased significantly by 429.22 percent between 2015 and 2022 to
N105.32 billion. It is the same scenario at the macro level. Nigeria’s debt has surged
significantly, climbing from N49.85 trillion before the 2023 general elections to N150
trillion currently, reflecting primarily the impact of policy-induced naira depreciation, aggressive government borrowing, and rising borrowing costs.
